Posted on 07/06/2008 11:49:55 AM PDT by SandRat
KABUL, Afghanistan, July 6, 2008 More than 50 U.S. sailors rendered a salute as their nations colors were raised over Camp Eggers in honor of Americas Independence Day. What made the ceremony so special was the American flag had only 48 stars.
Agra acquired the flag from a Filipino fisherman while living in the Philippines in 2000. The fisherman retrieved it from his net while fishing off the coast of the Bataan Peninsula. I saw the flag on a pole and asked the fisherman where he got it, Agra said. After he told me, I asked if I could have it. He sold it to me for ten dollars. Agra said after taking the flag home and washing it, his son realized it only had 48 stars. Upon this discovery, Agra started researching flags for a hint of its origin. (Army Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio is assigned to Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan) |
Related Sites: Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan |
||||
|
Wonderful story!
I have a 48 star US flag from my father’s WW-II ship, the USS Green AVD-13. It has, on it’s four grommet canvas section, a stencil marking saying “U S ENSIGN 9.” Its measurements are 76 1/2 by 41 1/4 inches and it’s still in great shape.
My father joined the Navy in 1910 and he served on the USS Green, mostly in the South Atlantic, from around April 1941 until his 1943 transfer to shore duty in Norfolk. The USS Green was later lost in a Pacific typhoon in 1945
A picture of the Green, and its history, can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Greene_%28DD-266%29
Thanks and blessings to these fine Navy men and their families. May they rest in peace knowing their/our flag is still flyin' high!
What a neat story SandRat, thanks for posting it.
Agra sounds like a very special man and patriot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.