Old Glory

[MSKKG]

A friend of mine sent this to me, and I thought it was interesting:

"THE FLAG

"Do you know that at military funerals, the 21 gun salute actually stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776?

"I hope you have noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!

"Be surprised at the following only because 'they' quit teaching this around 1955 in public schools . . . some of you out there might remember.

"The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

"The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

"The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

"The 4th fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

"The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decaur [sic], 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.'

"The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our hearts that, 'We 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 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

"The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

"The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

"The 10th fold is a tribute to the fathers, for they too, have given their sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

"The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews' eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

"The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians' eyes, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

"The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nation's motto, 'In God We Trust.'

"After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.

"There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why."

[AlphaSigOU]

Some other traditions that bear mentioning:

The 21-gun salute had its origins long before the patriotic folklore meaning... in days of old, cannon took longer to load, and firing a large volley of cannon salutes kept the ship defenseless for the time it took to reload. Cannon salutes in Britain, such as for the reigning monarch's birthday are generally the monarch's age plus one or two extra to make it an odd number.

21 guns - President of the United States and other foreign heads of state and government
19 guns - Vice President, cabinet secretaries, 5-star and 4-star generals and admirals
17 guns - Cabinet undersecretaries, 3-star generals and admirals
15 guns - 2-star generals and admirals
13 guns - 1-star generals and admirals

There is no truth to the rumor that the British salute (palm outward) means they have been defeated in war; it's just the exaggerated marching movements practiced from the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and carried over to the rest of the military. The Polish armed forces use a two-fingered salute much like the Cub Scout salute; the two extended fingers symbolize God and Country.

The United States is one of the few countries in the world that prescribe the folding of the flag in a particular manner; most other countries fold 'em like bedsheets.

The United States has no military decoration jeweled in precious stones except for one: the Congressional Space Medal of Honor (awarded only to US astronauts; it has a small diamond on the medal).

The Legion of Merit is the only US medal awarded in degrees: Legionnaire, Officer, Commander, Chief Commander.

Legionnaire: Officers below the rank of Colonel/Captain (rarely awarded to junior officers and NCOs; they get the Meritorious Service Medal instead.)

Officer: Foreign dignitaries in the general officer/admiral ranks

Commander: Foreign dignitaries in the cabinet/diplomatic ranks

Chief Commander: Foreign heads of state and/or government.