In the
United States,
Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the
flag of the United States, which happened on that day in 1777 by
resolution of the
Second Continental Congress.
The
United States Army also celebrates the
Army Birthday
on this date; Congress adopted "the American continental army" after
reaching a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole on June 14,
1775.
In 1916,
President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an
Act of Congress.
Flag Day is not an official
federal holiday.
Title 36 of the United States Code, Subtitle I, Part A, CHAPTER 1, § 110
is the official statute on Flag Day; however, it is at the President's
discretion to officially proclaim the observance. On June 14, 1937,
Pennsylvania became the first (and only)
U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a
state holiday, beginning in the town of
Rennerdale.
New York Statutes designate the second Sunday in June as Flag Day, a state holiday.
Perhaps the oldest continuing Flag Day parade is at
Fairfield, Washington.
Beginning in 1909 or 1910, Fairfield has held a parade every year
since, with the possible exception of 1918, and celebrated the
"Centennial" parade in 2010, along with some other commemorative events.
One of the longest-running Flag Day parades is held annually in
Quincy, Massachusetts, which began in 1952, celebrating its 59th year in 2010.
The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in
Troy, New York, which bases its parade on the Quincy parade and typically draws 50,000 spectators
SOURCE: Wikipedia
The Greatest Play In Baseball - Rick Monday Saves U.S. Flag
On April 25, 1976 at Dodger Stadium, Rick Monday of the Chicago Cubs,
grabbed and secured the American flag from two individuals as they were
attempting to burn our flag in the middle of the playing field. It was
an outstanding display of American Patriotism. Due to the numerous
references to 'allah' and insistence that their chairs be faced in a
certain direction while being questioned, the two, a father and his son,
were described to be muslims by several security personnel including an
off duty police officer in attendance at the game who went down to the
security room soon after the incident. Others claim that the two,
William Errol Thomas and his brother, later corrected to be Thomas and
his 11 year old son (not identified due to his age) were war protesters.
Others claimed Thomas escaped from a mental institution, others said
that his wife was being held illegally and against her will in a mental
institution and various other claims. Regardless, it's probably safe to
say that what they attempted to do was a disgrace to our American Flag
and every American citizen. Aside from public ridicule, Thomas incurred
minimal legal actions for his actions. He was fined $60 for
trespassing and placed on probation for a year. No formal charges were
filed against his 11 year old son who was treated as a juvenile
offender. Something that was also confusing was obtaining the flag
burner's real name. Security personnel at the stadium said that his
name was William Errol Morris. However, the police report and court
records all list him as William Errol Thomas, Aka William Errol Morris
(Criminal courts building record Case# 31-543367 Thomas, William Errol,
Jr. Violation Sec. 602, P.C. one year probation and ordered not to enter
Dodger Stadium during probationary period.) His attorney in the
public-defender's office said that Thomas was American Indian, a
transient living out of the back of his car. DMV yielded no information
nor did the registrar of voters or Veterans Administration. The Bureau
of Indian Affairs in Phoenix had no information nor were there any
military records.