Flag Day : Patriotism flies high in Big Country
June 15th, 2011 | by |
Hundreds of American flags waved proudly over the Big Country Tuesday in celebration and honor of Flag Day.
There has been some form of celebration for the flag and its symbol of freedom since Betsy Ross made the first flag for George Washington in 1776. While the flag has changed and stars have been added, the freedom that it represents has seen America through the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam and other wars.
The flag flies over military bases throughout Southeast Asia and other parts of the world, and it waves high above schools, government buildings, and homes in America.
Ralph Rodriguez, a Vietnam veteran, remembers flying the flag proudly during his tour of duty in 1967-68 at the height of the war. His base camp was in the jungle and it was not always in the same place each night. It wasn’t constructed with a building and a big flagpole to fly the American flag.
“We flew the flag sometime on our artillery guns,” he said. “But we always carried the flag.”
Rodriguez is commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and on Tuesday evening a special ceremony was scheduled to honor the flag. The VFW is planning to make the event annual.
“I remember we honored the flag when I was a young student in school,” he said.
He said the VFW flies the flag all the time, along with a POW and MIA flag.
“We always remember those who served their countries,” Rodriguez said.
He said the American flag means a lot to him.
“When I see the flag, I think of Vietnam and the buddies I lost there,” Rodriguez said. “They gave the ultimate price for our freedom and many are still paying the price.”
He said after the TET offensive that he remembers helping pick up the bodies of the soldiers who had lost their lives in battle.
“We need to always honor the flag, for they gave their lives for our freedom,” Rodriguez said.
At 6 a.m. Tuesday, Boy Scouts were all over town placing flags in the front yards. There were several Boy Scout groups who placed the flags for various service clubs.
Brad Dempsey, scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 217 which meets at Pioneer Baptist Church, said his troop posted over 300 flags.
Dempsey said the boys not only learned how to put the flags out, but they also learned about the freedom that the flag represents.
“We put out flags for all the major holidays,” he said. “That included Veterans Day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day, Fourth of July and others.”
Betsy Ross’s original flag had colors of red, white and blue and there were 13 stars forming a circle. It is said that Gen. George Washington and this troops flew the first flag in battle.
Americans have honored their flag from the day the flag was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1777. Through the years, Flag Day has been celebrated in various ways. On Aug. 3, 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day.
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