UNITED STATES FLAG
The Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes pattern for the national flag in 1777, almost one year after the Declaration of Independence and more than a decade before the U.S. Constitution was finalized. Flag Day, was first celebrated in 1877; the centennial of the U.S. Flag’s existence. After that, many citizens and organizations advocated the adoption of a national day of commemoration for the U.S. Flag. It was not until 1949 that President Harry Truman signed legislation making the Flag Day a day of national observance.
Stars and Stripes: The U.S. Flag has thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating red and white, each strip representing one of the 13 original colonies of England. The United States Flag has 50 stars, one for each state of the Union. The last star added was for the state of Hawaii, in 1960.
Marching with the Flag: Famed composer and long time U.S. Marine Corps. Bandmaster John Philip Sousa wrote the stirring march, “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Flag Photographs: One of the most famous images from WW II is the photograph snapped by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal showing the second raising of the U.S. Flag by U.S. Marines, February 23, 1945 on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima Island.
Sadly, Flag Day is not a recognized holiday in the United States. Although it is marked on calendars, for most Americans the day passes without knowledge of the significance of the date. The People of Salem are an exception-Flag Day has been celebrated by Salem for the past 29 years with pride and reverence in remembrance of Old Glory and all that she represents.