Flag Day Is June 14- Are We Honoring It?

American flag flying in breeze.

American flag flying in breeze.

An American holiday is Flag Day. While June 14 is a holiday, all government agencies are open. It is a day to honor our flag and our nation. It is a day to fly our flag. Here are some trivia facts about the flag.

Colors

Why the red, white, and blue? Why not other colors? Based on England’s colors, these colors were chosen for a reason. White means purity or innocence. Red means valor, the blood shed for this country. Blue often symbolizes the unity of the states; it also means equal justice for all.

Numbers

The flag has thirteen stripes, one for each of the original thirteen colonies, and fifty stars, one for each of the fifty states.

Flag Rules?

Technically, they are not rules, merely guidelines. One is to fly the flag in daylight. If it is flown at night, it needs to be illuminated. The flag ought not to touch the ground out of respect. One should stand at attention when the flag passes, removing hats if worn. It is not flown in inclement weather. The flag should not have anything placed on it. You can read more guidelines here.

Interesting Trivia

A flag expert is called a vexillologist.

An astronaut placed the U.S. flag on the Moon during six Apollo missions:(11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17.

 The U.S. flag is folded into a small triangle made of 13 folds. Each fold has a special meaning and symbolism. For example, the first fold represents life, the third honors the veteran who has departed, and the fifth is a tribute to our country.

We fly our flag on all national holidays.

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