Replies

The Story of Old Glory

February 2, 2003, Manama, Bahrain - Having started her journey June 13, 1999 at Valley Forge National Park,as part of Century Link America's world tour, Old Glory Travels America's Freedom Road, the well traveled American Flag, Old Glory, was raised this morning aboard USS VALLEY FORGE (CG 50) while in Manama, Bahrain for a well-deserved port call. The Ticonderoga-class cruiser is part of the CONSTELLATION Battle Group, currently on station in the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch.

VALLEY FORGE departed San Diego on November 2, 2002 for a scheduled 6-month deployment. While in the Arabian Gulf, the ship has conducted numerous missions from Maritime Interdiction Operations, carrier escort duties, air surveillance and flagship platform, to name a few. Her crew of 380 trained for months before November and is prepared for any tasking that they may receive.

“Having Old Glory aboard is symbolic of our daily fight against terrorism” said LCDR Mike Feyedelem, the ship’s Executive Officer from Norwalk, Ohio. “For those that momentarily forget, it usually takes just a glimpse at the American flag flying from the mast to remember why we leave our families for months at a time. We have a chance to defend our freedom every time we set sail.”

This morning’s flag raising was extra symbolic as Old Glory was raised smartly to the top of the staff and gently lowered to half mast in honor of the 7 astronauts lost aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia the day before. In July 1999, Old Glory had honored the astronauts of Columbia upon their return from mission STS-93. With 3 of the 5 American astronauts lost in Saturday’s tragedy being Navy, it was only appropriate for Old Glory to fly aboard a Navy warship.

One member of the flag detail, Signalman Tavis Golden of Elmore, AL, when asked what he thought of the ceremony this morning stated simply “Old Glory, First in Peace” referring to VALLEY FORGE’s motto “First in War. First in Peace.”