June 2009: Volume 9 - Issue 9

Flag Day, June 14, 2009..

Annual Pause for the Pledge of Allegiance

At 7:00 p.m. (EDT) on Flag Day, June 14, Americans all across the nation will pause to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to our Flag. While most of us know the words of the Pledge, there are a large number who do not know of its origin. 

Mr. Francis Bellamy, an ordained minister of Rome, New York is credited with the authorship of the original Pledge. It was he, who on the eve of the 400th Anniversary of the discovery of America, initiated a campaign for the establishment of a national holiday on October 12, . . . to celebrate the day on which Columbus discovered America. In his concept, he envisioned that flags should be flown over every school-house and public building from coast to coast. 

In the material which he nationally circulated, he wrote, 'Let the flag float over every school-house in the land and the exercise be such as shall impress upon our youth the patriotic duty of citizenship.' He also included the original 23 words of the Pledge which he had developed. 'I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' Thus it was that on Columbus Day in October 1892, the Pledge of Allegiance was repeated by more than 12 million public school children in every state in the union. The wording of the Pledge has been modified three times. In 1923, the words 'the flag of the United States' were substituted for 'my flag.' In 1924, 'of America' were added. On Flag Day 1954, the words 'under God' became a part of the Pledge. Thus the 23 words have become 31 words. 

By a Joint Resolution on June 9, 1966, the Congress requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating the week in which June 14 occurs as National Flag Week and calling upon citizens of the United States to display the flag during that week. 

The idea of the annual PAUSE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE originated in 1980 at the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House in Baltimore, Maryland. Since then the concept has swept across the country in a grassroots movement supported by a broad spectrum of individuals, organizations, and businesses. 

The National Flag Day Foundation. Inc. was created in 1982 'to conduct educational programs throughout the United States in promotion of National Flag Day and to encourage national patriotism by promotion of the PAUSE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.' 

On June 20, 1985, the Ninety-Ninth Congress passed and President Reagan signed Public Law 99-54 recognizing the PAUSE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE as part of National Flag Day activities. It is an invitation urging all Americans to participate on June 14, 7:00 p.m. (EDT) in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The effect of this simple ceremony, which transcends age, race, religion, national origin, political and geographic differences, is a stimulating patriotic experience at home and a sign of unity abroad. 

Flag Facts and Timeline

1776 January 1 -- The Grand Union flag is displayed on Prospect Hill. It has 13 alternate red and white stripes and the British Union Jack in the upper left-hand corner (the canton).

1776 May -- Betsy Ross reports that she sewed the first American flag

1777 June 14 -- Continental Congress adopts the following: Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.(stars represent Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island)

1787 Captain Robert Gray carries the flag around the world on his sailing vessel (around the tip of South America, to China, and beyond). He discovered a great river and named it after his boat The Columbia. His discovery was the basis of America's claim to the Oregon Territory.

1795 -- Flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes (Vermont, Kentucky)  only -- Flag with 15 stripes.

1813 Mary Pickersgill sews first "official" U. S. flag, "The Star-Spangled Banner" under contract of the U. S. Government.

1814 September 14 -- Francis Scott Key writes "The Star-Spangled Banner." It officially becomes the national anthem in 1931.

1818 -- Flag with 20 stars and 13 stripes (it remains at 13 hereafter) (Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi) (Leepson, p. 81)

1819 -- Flag with 21 stars (Illinois)

1820 -- Flag with 23 stars (Alabama, Maine) first -- Flag on Pikes Peak

1822 -- Flag with 24 stars (Missouri)

1836 -- Flag with 25 stars (Arkansas)

1837 -- Flag with 26 stars (Michigan) July 4, 1837

1845 -- Flag with 27 stars (Florida) July 4, 1845

1846 -- Flag with 28 stars (Texas) July 4, 1846

1847 -- Flag with 29 stars (Iowa)

1848 -- Flag with 30 stars (Wisconsin)

1851 -- Flag with 31 stars (California)

1858 -- Flag with 32 stars (Minnesota)

1859 -- Flag with 33 stars (Oregon)

1861 -- Flag with 34 stars; (Kansas) first Confederate -- Flag (Stars and Bars) adopted in Montgomery, Alabama

1863 -- Flag with 35 stars (West Virginia)

1865 -- Flag with 36 stars (Nevada)

1867 -- Flag with 37 stars (Nebraska)

1869 First -- Flag on a postage stamp

1877 -- Flag with 38 stars (Colorado)

1890 -- Flag with 43 stars (North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho)

1891 -- Flag with 44 stars (Wyoming)

1892 "Pledge of Allegiance" first published in a magazine called "The Youth's Companion," written by Francis Bellamy. The words, "under God" were added on June 14, 1954.

1896 -- Flag with 45 stars (Utah)

1908 -- Flag with 46 stars (Oklahoma)

1909 Robert Peary places the -- Flag his wife sewed atop the North Pole. He left pieces of another -- Flag along the way. He was never censored for his action.

1912 -- Flag with 48 stars (New Mexico, Arizona)

1945 The -- Flag that flew over Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, is flown over the White House on August 14, when the Japanese accepted surrender terms.

1949 August 3 -- Truman signs bill requesting the President call for -- Flag Day (June 14) observance each year by proclamation.

1959 -- Flag with 49 stars (Alaska)

1960 -- Flag with 50 stars (Hawaii)

1963 -- Flag placed on top of Mount Everest by Barry Bishop.

1969 July 20 -- The American -- Flag is placed on the moon by Neil Armstrong.

1995 June 28 � The -- Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment clears the House with 22 more votes than needed. The Amendment to the Constitution would make burning the Flag a punishable crime.

1995 December 12 -- The Amendment is narrowly defeated in the Senate.

1997 June 12 - Amendment passes House with 20 votes more than needed.

1998 October 7 - Amendment again lost in Senate, citing lack of time to sufficiently debate the amendment.

1999 June 24 - Amendment passes House with 15 more votes than needed.

2000 March 29 � Amendment falls 4 short in Senate.

2001 July 17 - Amendment passes House for the fourth time in consecutive Congresses.

2002 January - December -- Senate leadership in 107th Congress does not allow amendment on the floor.

2003 June 3 - Amendment sails through House with 300 -125 vote.

2004 January - December -- Senate leadership in 108th Congress does not get amendment on the floor.

2005 June - Amendment passes in House for 6th consecutive time.

--- --- Walt Schmidt Veteran Services Officer 
- - --- TOBay's Veteran Services Division 
- - - - "Let No Veteran Ever Stand Alone!" 
--- --- WorkDayTime: 516.797.7875 & 24/7 Voice Mail 
- - --- Anytime: 24/7 Voice Mail 516.799.8300 
- - - - Website: http://www.waltsdorsai.net/ 
Ken Sun - Weekly Column: http://experts.longisland.com/veterans

"To know yet to think that one does not know is best; 
Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty." 
- Lao-Tzu 71:1

MEMORIAL DAY

Hicksville Vietnam War Era Proposed Memorial

An effort has been underway for quite some time with hopes of dedicating a Hicksville Vietnam War Era Memorial Monument at a frequently visited site in Hicksville (such as Hicksville High, Kennedy Plaza, etc.) sometime in 2010 once we have exhausted the possibility of finding Veterans who served on active duty during that era and once we have the approval from the necessary Hicksville, Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County authorities, as needed, to do so.

Our List of Names of those who served has expanded through time to time announcements in HixNews.  When the list was published in the March Issue of HixNews, we had about 150 names.  By the May 1 issue, we had 222 names and in May alone we've added an additional 63 names to bring our total to 285!  Momentum is building thanks to the help of HixNews and its many readers.  As a result, we will now be publishing the up to date list each month in HixNews.

A path of broader distribution in our search for the names of people who qualify to be included in the Memorial is also helping.  We are now using the Class of '59 website for this purpose and have approached the reunion leaders of other classes for help in identifying people not already included on our current list.  We know that we have still only scratched the surface so far.

To qualify for the Memorial, a person must have been on active duty in one of our Armed Forces during the Vietnam Era, but did not necessarily have to serve in Vietnam, because by being in the service at that time a person was exposed to the possibility of being sent to Vietnam and was overall an integral part of strengthening our Armed Forces during a time of war. 

Here are the overall qualifications for a person to be included in the Memorial list.  The person:

• must have been a resident of Hicksville at some time before entering our Armed Forces
• must have attended a public, private or parochial high school while living in Hicksville (attendance at HHS not required)
• must have served on active duty anywhere in the world during America's Vietnam Era (1961-1973 per www.vietnamwar.com history timeline)
• Note that both men and women qualify (We're stating this as we have very few women on our current list)

We have surpassed our goal of 250 names by summer, but know there are many more that served out there who meet these qualifications, but have yet to be identified by the project team (rough estimates indicate we should be able to collect between 2 and 3 thousand names of people meeting these qualifications).  We have access to official records in Washington, D.C. but have found that many people left Hicksville before entering the service and show a different town or city as their home at the time of entry.  So, we need to continue this grassroots effort and will also continue to use official records as a means of confirmation of all personnel on the list. 

Our Project Team has the following members after being expanded over the past month with the addition of Walt Schmidt and Joe Ingino, both of whom are very active in local Veterans Affairs on Long Island:

-        Ken Strafer, Founder (HHS '62)

-        Joe Carfora, Master List Keeper (HHS '62)

-        Carl Probst, Input Data, Class of '59 & Others (HHS '59)

-        Tony Plonski, Input Data, Class of '64 & Others (HHS '64)

-        Tommy Sullivan, Press Release Editing (HHS '63)

-        Walter Schmidt, Hicksville Local Coordinator & Town of Oyster Bay Veterans Services Officer (HHS '65)

�        Joe Ingino, Veterans Advocate, Hicksville & Long Island (HHS �67)                                                    

What we need each person reading this to do:

Please review the attached list of names.  If you know of someone who is not listed, please send their name and what you can about their service to Joe Carfora at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Please use the information contained on the attached list as a guide for the data we need.

Thank you!

The Vietnam War Era Project Team

Footnote extracted from www.vietnamwar.com:  During 15 years of military involvement, over 2 million Americans served in Vietnam with 500,000 seeing actual combat. 47,244 were killed in action, including 8000 airmen. There were 10,446 non-combat deaths. 153,329 were seriously wounded, including 10,000 amputees. Over 2400 American POWs/MIAs were unaccounted for as of 1973.