THE QATSPY® From the Kerosene Cowboy Journal Perception
By: Charles W. Boatright
Also the U.S. ARMY was established 2- years earlier on June 14th, 1775. One of the proud Branches of service that is the premiere Fighting Force for GOOD. June is Proud Month for our Flag and the establishment of the U.S. ARMY that started with a group of Sailors and Minutemen that defeated one of the most powerful militaries, the British, to gain our Independence that we will be celebrating on July 4th.
June 14th, 1777 signified when the American Flag was Adopted by the Continental Congress – Without much Pomp/Circumstance. One reason there wasn’t much fanfare was that the American Navy had been flying the Stars and Stripes since Francis Hopkinson designed it; that was one of his hobbies that included designing seals for states.
Francis Hopkinson, who designed our American Flag, also served on the Marine Committee that proposed the design to the Continental Congress. Our American Flag, known as the Betsy Ross Flag with 13- Stars and 13- Stripes that was adopted on June 14th, 1777.
An interesting part of the star arrangement was the redesign where the Stars in the canton (the blue area) went from a circle arrangement, shown above, to rows. This was mainly done to cut down on manufacturing time of seamstresses.
Our National Anthem
The poem that Francis Scott Key finished penning, that was his poem that became our National Anthem, was finished in a hotel in Baltimore that was entitled The Defense of Fort Henry. It was Judge Joseph Nicholson that suggested Key set his poem to music using a song written by John Stafford Smith based on a Greek poem entitled Anacreon in Heaven.
The Odd Couple
What was intriguing about the song written by John Stafford Smith was it was based on a Greek poem where the melody had ties to a pub/tavern as a drinking song, this gives new meaning to the Spirit of ’76. But having a drinking song becoming our National Anthem was just one interesting and unusual twist in the story of our flag.
The real twist was on September 20th, 1814, where organist Thomas Carr, played Anacreon in Heaven with the lyrics by Francis Scott Key of all places at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Baltimore for the first time, thus the Odd Couple.
But if you think about the origin of the song as a drinking song actually isn’t that unusual given that the brigade of men that fought with King David under the banner of The Star of David was a bunch of rebels and renegades. However, King David was still considered the apple of God’s eye. See we all have hope under Grace & Mercy of God.
Flags of Our Fathers, Movie Directed by Clint Eastwood
The movie Flag of our Fathers was a movie directed by Clint Eastwood that tells the story of the men that raised the second flag on Mount Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. The movie’s main story line was the difficulties that these men had coming to terms with, the fame of a momentous historical event known worldwide.
There have been many notable occasions when our American Flag flown at major crucible events that became an Iconic image in American History. I would like to note three of these iconic events that our American Flag was hoisted up in our American History.
Each person has their own Iconic moment when they witnessed the Stars & Stripes Flying in an inspirational moment. But these are three that are most notable nationwide:
The First occasion- was during The War of 1812 at Fort Henry when Frances Scott Key wrote the Star–Spangled Banner on September 14, 1814.
The Second was during World War II, when a group of U.S. Marines climbed Mount Suribachi under heavy enemy fire on February 23, 1945 to host the Stars & Stripes during the horrific battle of Iwo Jima. What made this raising of Stars & Stripes momentous was the inspiration it gave Marines still coming ashore and the armada of supporting Ships.
The Third was the Firemen raising Stars & Stripes on September 11, 2001 at Ground Zero after the Terrorist attack when two commercial aircraft crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City murdering over 3,000 people.
Like I said, I have many personal images of Old Glory flying. I even have Ole Glory flying out my office window, that is in my view each day and that is also lit at night. But the ones that I mentioned above are Iconic images of our American Flag Flying after pivotal moments in American History occurred that spark the American Spirit.
The American Crucible
The term Crucible is a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause, influence, or enact change or development.
I consider The American Crucible between Memorial Day and July 4th as events that occurred to enact change in our nation and in human history.
Memorial Day is when we lower the flag to half mast at sunrise until noon to honor those that paid the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. These are those that gave their last full measure to the freedoms and liberties that we enjoy today.
D-Day– June 6th, was when the largest amphibious landing took place on the beaches of Normandy (5- beachheads) where over 150,000 men and women freed a continent of tyranny during World War II.
Juneteenth– is a day that we recognize as a day when Union General Granger’s arrival in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 informing former slaves of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Republican President Abraham Lincoln on January 1st, 1863. This proclamation freed approximately 250,000 enslaved people in Texas under the Democrat Confederate control that succeeded from the Union over the issue of slavery.
Gettysburg Victory– July 3rd, 1863 was one of two major turning points within days of each other that claimed over 50,000 lives in the American Civil War. This and the siege of Vicksburg by Grant help turn the tide of the Civil War to the Union side.
The Siege of Vicksburg Surrenders– On July 4th, 1863, after 47- days, Confederate General Pemberton surrendered to Union General Grant as one of the most successful encounters of the Civil War. The Siege at Vicksburg was the last major event of the Civil War. Republican President Lincoln coined the phrase that Vicksburg was the Key to the South where it sits overlooking the ole man river, the Mississippi River.
American Independence– July 4th, 1776- where 56 delegates of the Continental Congress signed the engrossed Declaration of Independence that led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. As a footnote General George Ross was the uncle of Betsy Ross. General George Ross signed the Declaration of Independence as Representative of Pennsylvania.
How to Honor the American Crucible
First educate yourself in American and World History on why our Flag is significant. Develop a trade skill that we desperately need to help make America Great Again! While working as a Grid Engineer, I attended a VOTECH College to learn welding that has become my second career since my retirement.
Second Fly the American Flag to honor those that took part in the American Crucible.
Third– Have tea or coffee with a friend and listen to them, especially a Veteran.
These are ways we can honor ourselves and others in our Nation, as a nation we need face-to-face time. The ultimate tragedy for us as a country is to not know our History and learning from it WHAT NOT TO DO in the FUTURE.