You're a Grand Old Flag

But is it a wrap?

June 14, 2025, marks the convergence of four significant events in the national media. Three of them are symbolically connected:

• The founding of the U.S. Army in 1775

• The U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Parade (the first military parade in Washington, D.C. since 1991)

• It’s Flag Day!

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A slow start for this holiday

Both President Wilson, in 1916, and President Coolidge, in 1927, issued proclamations asking for June 14 to be observed as the National Flag Day. But it wasn’t until August 3, 1949, that Congress approved the national observance, and President Harry Truman signed it into law.

Source: The Origins of Flag Day

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There is a fourth event: Donald Trump’s birthday. This is as far as I will go on that topic. I didn’t buy him one damned thing. Where are my manners?

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Beautiful creases

After seeing our porch-mounted flags succumb to fading, wear, and tear for many years, we chose to upgrade to a stitched and embroidered version. It’s substantially heavier and more vibrant than our previous flags. In the “good-better-best” ranking, I’d say we went from good to somewhere between better and best in the 3x5 ft. size.

We hung it on Memorial Day, and it still shows creases from how it was packed. I’m sure those lines will smooth out on their own in time, but in the meantime, I like the crisp newness. It reminds me of how we dressed on the first day of school. But we didn’t wear the U.S. Flag, mind you.

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What are the rules?

Most of us are familiar with a few basic rules of flag protocol, such as not letting it touch the ground or placing it lower than flags of states and pennants of organizations, but there is much more to know.

The American Legion presents the U.S. Flag Code, which provides detailed information on this subject.

My cartoon illustrates a violation of § 8. Respect for flag (d), which in part reads:

The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery.

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I cannot say I have abided by the U.S. Flag Code to the letter, but I believe in showing respect to Old Glory. I’d like to see more U.S. flags up and down my street. There could never be too many.