Flag Day: A day to remember Old Glory Published June 14, 2017 By 434th ARW Public Affairs staff GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- The Stars and Stripes; Old Glory; the Red, White and Blue; no matter what name is used, since 1777 Americans have rallied around the U.S. flag in times of hardship and joy, war and peace.And in similar fashion, the men and women of the 434th Air Refueling Wing, along with Americans around the world, come together June 14 to celebrate Flag Day and all it has come to represent.According to American legend, realizing that his country was about to declare independence, George Washington commissioned Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, to create a flag for the new nation.While historians have debated this account, there is no debate that one year later the Second Continental Congress officially adopted the first version of the U.S. flag flown around the globe today."Resolved, that the flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation," said John Adams at a meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.Since that resolution the U.S. flag has gone through 27 different versions, with a star being added for each additional state brought into the Union. The current version was finalized on July 4, 1960 after Hawaii became the 50th state.The design of the flag itself is rich in both symbolism and heritage. The 13 horizontal stripes represent the original 13 colonies, while the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well; red symbolizes hardiness and valor; white signifies purity and innocence; and blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.On the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, after witnessing a 30 by 42 foot garrison flag being raised over Baltimore's Fort McHenry to signify a victory over the British, who shelled the fort throughout night, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the words to "The Star Spangled Banner." And, in 1892, the flag inspired Francis Bellamy to write the "Pledge of Allegiance," the country's oath and salute to the Old Glory.While there are many different accounts on the origin of the actual holiday to celebrate the Stars and Stripes, Flag Day was officially established as June 14, the anniversary of the 1777 resolution, by President Woodrow Wilson with a proclamation made in 1916. And, in 1949, Congress approved the day as a national observance with President Harry Truman signing it into law.During a special flag-folding ceremony used by the Air Force to honor the flag and those who have served under it, ceremonial honor guardsmen recite the following: "Today, our flag flies on constellations of Air Force satellites that circle our globe, and on the fin flash of our aircraft in harm's way in every corner of the world. Indeed, it flies in the heart of every Airman who serves our great Nation. The sun never sets on our US Air Force, nor on the flag we so proudly cherish."The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Men and women from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter.
