Is It Flag Day Already?!?

We drove through a little town close to our house Sunday, and they had our nation’s flag everywhere - on buildings, houses and up and down the main street every few feet. Dear Son wondered aloud what was going on, and we immediately decided that it must be early decorations for the Fourth of July. It seemed a little early, but we had been to a family reunion all day and my mind was on other things.

I had forgotten. There IS an important holiday for our nation in June every year.

Flag Day…..

….and sadly, Flag Day is often rushed through or forgotten entirely.

We remember Flag Day to commemorate the day the Second Continental Congress adopted the U.S. Flag in 1777. It is also the date they adopted the Continental Army.

Perhaps the reason the date is often glossed over is the fact it’s not an official American holiday – government offices and banks don’t close. You still get your mail. President Woodrow Wilson declared June 14th Flag Day, but it has never been an official United States’ holiday and observances are at the President’s discretion.

It doesn’t matter to my family. Our flags are flying today at our house on the front and back porch.

Are yours?

Here are a few past postings here at History Is Elementary regarding the flag…..

13 Things Concerning the Display of the Flag

The Star Spangled Banner – Why It Should Be Our Anthem

The Red Skelton Pledge

Take a few minutes and think about that rectangle of cloth and what it means to you….

13 Things Concerning the Display of the Flag

Today is Flag Day and to honor Old Glory I am presenting a few facts about flying the flag. Take a trip about the Internet and you will see various lists of flag facts and flag etiquette. The best place to go to make sure you are following the U.S. Flag Code is, of course, the U.S. Flag Code seen here.

1. The only people that can order flags on government buildings to be flown at half staff is the President or Governor of each state.

2. Burning a flag is considered to be the only dignified means of disposing of it once it is no longer serviceable or repairable.

3. If your flag is weather worn or otherwise dirty it is acceptable to wash or dry clean it.

4. If a flag touches the ground you do not have to destroy it. If it is dirty….have it cleaned.

5. The Flag Code does not prohibit any individual from having the flag draped across a coffin. The deceased does not have to be a veteran to have the flag draped on their coffin. The Union or blue field should be at the head and over the left shoulder.

6. When a coffin is draped with the flag it should be removed before the casket is lowered into the grave, and it should not be allowed to touch the ground.

7. When festoons, rosettes, or drapery is desired, bunting of red, white, and blue should be used, but never the flag.

8. Though it is not part of the flag code custom affords the flag a position of superior prominence as part of the audience, in a position of honor at the audience’s right.

9. When flags of other nations are displayed together they should be flown from separate staffs of the same height. They should also be the same size.

10. When the flag is displayed along with state or local flags the U.S. flag should be flown in middle and should be presented higher than the other flags.

11. When the national anthem is played and the flag is not displayed the audience should stand and face the music. If the flag is displayed the audience should stand and salute the flag.

12. When the flag is to be flown at half staff it should raised to full staff briskly and then lowered to half staff slowly. At the end of the day it should be raised again to full staff before finally lowering it to the ground. On Memorial Day the flag should be at half-staff until noon.

13. Typically the Flag is flown from sunrise to sunset. It it is to be flown twenty-four hours a day it should be be illuminated

Meet up with more participants in Thursday Thirteen HERE

See my post about the Red Skelton Pledge HERE.