Letter: The meaning of Flag Day

You may have missed it, but June 14 was Flag Day. Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. It’s a somewhat obscure holiday, sandwiched between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, but to me, it holds special significance. 

When I was growing up, my father’s American flag was one of the few tangible reminders of his personal history and the only material possession of which he took great pride. He was stationed in Austria in 1945 and while there, he had an Austrian girl sew the flag for him. The flag returned from World War II with him and he flew it over the railing of our tiny porch on every holiday, even though it had only 48 stars — the number of U.S. states in existence at the time of its creation.

He was not making a political statement — he was an old-school liberal Democrat who often fulminated against Republicans — but rather was merely expressing his reverence for America. He planned to donate it to a museum, but could never bring himself to part with it. After his passing many years ago, I had the good fortune to inherit it, and for many years I too flew it on holidays. 

Now that the flag is almost 80 years old, I keep it out of the elements and fly a flag I picked up at Walmart instead. Nonetheless, flying it has the same meaning to me as it did to my dad. It has nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with love of country. I would hope that Americans of all stripes (and stars) could get behind that. 

Ken Wagner
Edwards