Flags

Flag Day, also called National Flag Day,  in the United States, a day 
honoring the national flag, observed on June 14. The holiday commemorates the date in 1777 when the United States approved the design for its first national flag.

The idea to set aside a day to honor the national flag came from several sources. Bernard J. Cigrand, a Wisconsin schoolteacher, in 1885 urged his students to observe June 14 as “Flag Birthday.” He later wrote an essay published in a Chicago newspaper that urged Americans to proclaim this date as the day to celebrate the flag. In 1888 William T. Kerr of Pennsylvania founded the American Flag Day Association of Western Pennsylvania, an organization to which he dedicated his life. A lesser-known claim is that of George Morris of Connecticut, who is said to have organized the first formal celebration of the day in Hartford in 1861.In 1916 Pres. Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as the official date for Flag Day, and in 1949 the U.S. Congress permanently established the date as National Flag Day. Although Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, Pennsylvania celebrates the day as a state holiday. Each year the U.S. president delivers an address that proclaims the week of June 14 as National Flag Week, and all Americans are encouraged to fly U.S. flags during that week.

God bless America

Message from the Speaker of The House

Never forget the sacrifices made by our men and women in the armed forces.  That is what Memorial Day is - a chance to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom.  We put our flags out to show respect and honor them. 

Taken May 24, 2014 after we placed flags

Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service.  In observance of the holiday, many visit cemeteries and have memorials, and volunteers place American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries. 

To ensure the sacrifices of America ’s fallen heroes are never forgotten, in December 2000, the U.S. Congress passed and the president signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” P.L. 106-579, creating the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance. The commission’s charter is to “encourage the people of the United States to give something back to their country, which provides them so much freedom and opportunity” by encouraging and coordinating commemorations in the United States of Memorial Day and the National Moment of Remembrance.

The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation. As Moment of Remembrance founder Carmella LaSpada states: “It’s a way we can all help put the memorial back in Memorial Day.”

My mother and Bear watching us place flags by my father's grave

Memorial Day

THE MUFFLED drum's sad roll has beat The soldier's last tattoo; No more on Life's parade shall meet That brave and fallen few.   On Fame's eternal camping-ground 5 Their silent tents are spread, And Glory guards, with solemn round, The bivouac of the dead.
Bivouac Of The Dead, by Theodore O'Hara

A big thank you goes to all those who bought extra flags to place at the National Cemetery.  We placed about 200 flags.
The next big thank you goes to all of you who placed flags in front of homes who didn't show a flag.
And of course all of you who placed a flag at your home, thank you for patriotism and not forgetting what this day is about! 

The American Flag
and When to Display It

The flag should be displayed, from sunrise to sunset, on all days when the weather permits, especially on

A personal Thank You from me for all the flags that were donated to put on the graves at the National Cemetery in Florida.  My husband and I will be putting those flags on the graves for Memorial Day.  This year is the first year in Florida that our National Cemetery will receive a flag for every grave.  There will be no grave site omitted as in past years.  Carene

New Year's Day

Inauguration Day 

Martin Luther King's Birthday

Lincoln's Birthday

Washington's Birthday

Easter Sunday

Patriots Day, April 19

National Day of Prayer, the 1st Thursday of May

Mother's Day

Armed Forces Day

Memorial Day (half-staff until noon)

Flag Day

Independence Day, July 4th

Labor Day

Constitution Day

Columbus Day, October 12th

Navy Day 

Veterans Day

Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Day

Election Days

and such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States.