In honor of the upcoming July 4th holiday, we’ve come across the following facts about our flag which we found quite interesting & would like to share with you…

The Stars & Stripes

The current U.S. flag has fifty stars, representing the fifty U.S. states and thirteen stripes, representing the original thirteen colonies. When a new state joins the union, the corresponding new flag is first flown on the following Fourth of July.

The official colors of the flag are “Old Glory Red,” white, and “Old Glory Blue.” The pantone values are Red PMS 193C and Blue PMS 282C.

The blue quadrant of the flag is referred to as the “canton”– this term is not specific to the American flag, but applies to the upper staff-side corner of any flag with such a division.

 The Pledge of Allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation under God, indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
- The Pledge of Allegiance (1954 – present)

The current Pledge of Allegiance (above) has undergone several minor revisions since it first appeared in print in 1892 in a Boston youth magazine as follows:

I pledge allegiance to my Flag,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
- The Pledge of Allegiance (1892-1923)

In 1923 the words “my Flag” were changed to “the Flag of the United States,” then to “the Flag of the United States of America” in 1924. In 1954 the words “under God,” were added, bringing the pledge to its current form.

During the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance stand at attention, facing the flag, with your right hand over your heart. If a man is wearing a hat or headdress, he should remove it, and hold it in his right hand to his left shoulder. Uniformed persons (military, police, scouts, etc.) should remain silent and render the appropriate salute.

 The Flag Code

Below are excerpts of the important points on respectfully displaying, and displaying respect toward, the U.S. Flag:

• The flag should be flown only during daylight hours; however, it may be flown at night if properly illuminated.
• The flag should be hoisted (raised) quickly and lowered ceremoniously.
• When flying with other flags, the U.S. flag should be to the observer’s left and above or at equal height to the other flags.
• When flying with the flags of other nations, the U.S. flag should be flown at the same height as the other flag(s.)
• The U.S. flag should not be used for advertisement; it should not be marked with any words, images or other printings.
• The flag should not be flown in rain or snow, unless an all-weather flag is used.
• On occasions when the flag is to be flown at half-staff, the flag should first be raised to the top of the staff, then lowered to the half height position.
• The flag should not be dipped to anyone or anything.
• The flag should not be hung so that it touches the ground, or any object beneath it.
• The flag should not be used as a container or receptacle.

 Caring For The Flag

The life span of a flag is greatly influenced by how it is treated. To maximize a flag’s life span we recommend the following guidelines:

• High winds can be destructive to any flag. While nylon flags are better suited to windy conditions, do not fly any flag in winds over 50 mph.
• Make sure your flag is dry before folding and storing. Drip-dry only.
• Avoid exposing the flags to chemicals or chemical vapors, such as gasoline or petroleum products. If your flag needs cleaning, wash it by hand water. If necessary, use baby shampoo. Parade flags should be dry cleaned.
• When a flag has become worn or faded beyond restoration, dispose of it respectfully. The traditional method of destruction is by burning– many American Legion or VFW posts will perform this service for you.

The above information may be found on www.usflagmfg.com