Keeping national tradition alive with the flag

Photo by Paul Robeson, Reporter

RAISING COLORS: Bill McKinney and George Scheider raise the colors at the Anderson VFW Post 9650 as members of the color guard, left to right, Steve Sanders, Ken Williams, Fred Schlueter, Kip Wilsey, Bob Peterson and Herman Shoopman pay respect.

The flag is called “The Star Spangled Banner,” “Old Glory,” and “The Stars and Stripes,” by many and, since September 11, 2001, more flags have been seen around Anderson. The Veterans Memorial Hall on West Center Street has the United States flag flying, as well as the state and POW flags, every day.

Members of VFW Post 9650 also decorate businesses and the Anderson Cemetery with flags on Lincoln’s Birthday, Prisoner of War Day, Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, September 11, Veteran’s Day and on December 7. Most veterans of the U.S. military forces, and especially those who served in the color guard, can tell you about the flag of the United States.

It is said that when the British colonies of North America revolted against mother England that each of the 13 colonies had their own flag. In early 1776, the first flag of the United States was raised by George Washington. It was known as the Grand Union flag and had 13 stripes, alternate red and white, with a blue canton with the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew. By June 14, 1777, congress stated “that the Flag of the United States be 13 stripes alternate red and white, that the Union be 13 stars white in a blue field representing a new constellation.”

National Flag Day is celebrated each year on June 14 in the United States because of that adoption of the flag by the Second Continental Congress in 1777. President Woodrow Wilson officially established June 14 as Flag Day in 1916. In Pennsylvania on June 14, 1937, Flag Day became the first state to declare it a state holiday. By 1949, a National Flag Day was established by Congress, but Flag Day is not an official federal holiday.