[YOMO]

Passed on to me so I could share it with you. Thank you all who are actively serving in the Military.

[Goldi-Lox]

Geez. I woulda guessed it was for the first 13 colonies that became the first states.

[chatham]

A beautiful and informative post.

Thank You very much. It should be taught in our public schools daily.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Truly remarkable. Thanks.

[Libertina]

How interesting! I've right clicked and saved. Thanks for posting this.

[A.J.Armitage]

No, it's the 13 original states.

[knarf]

Hmmmm ... I always thought it was to keep horizontal and vertical folds from occurring in the flag.
Like a man's necktie is cut on the bias to 'drape' uniformly and stand up to the 'we never wash a tie' syndrome ... the diagonal folds seem to obscure the two longitudinal folds.

But that's just what I thought ... you auta' know what I know!!

On second thought ... scratch that last ... as I look into myself, I find therein lies close to nothing. Don't ask, don't waste your time.

[The Shootist]

The 21 gun salute has nothing to do with adding the digits in 1776.

US Army website.

[nagdt]

I'm sorry...but if you don't know, read some US history. Seems obvious to me.

[rockfish59]

hmmmm, i wonder if the thieves who stole about 30 flags from a local military cemetary know this? @$$HOLE$!!!!

[JulieRNR21]

Everytime I attend the funeral of a veteran and witness the folding of Old Glory I am moved to tears and I remember the deep emotion I felt when my Dad's flag was given to me.

Thank you for sharing the meaning of each fold....I always assumed it was to honor the original 13 states.

[fone]

This is excellent! My son has flag duty at his Christian school this year. I must tell him this!

[Doctor Stochastic]

The British Navy was using the 21 gun salute before 1730.

[tje]

Sorry, but I don't buy it..

[meisterbrewer]

Sounds good, but I doubt this has any basis in fact. More likely was thought up by someone recently and emailed out.

Lots of holes in this, anyway. For instance, if I'm not mistaken, Jews did not begin to come to America until the latter part of the 1800's, long after we had gone through several flags with 13 stripes and begun to fold it 13 times. So why would there be an 11th fold thrown in for a Hebrew citizen?

I would be willing to bet that the real reason there are 13 folds is because that is how many it takes to fold it. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best one.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Great article. I am curious. Once a flag is folded what should be done with it? Is there a way to preserve it. Would it be disrespectful or wrong to ever fly it again? Thanks for any information you could offer.

[Fiddlstix]

Bump
To read later

[jackbill]

I've known how the 21 gun salute was determined (adding the individual digits of 1776),

How long have you known that? Seems that you're probably wrong. Check out:

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/faq/salute.htm

One paragraph:

The 21-gun salute became the highest honor a nation rendered. Varying customs among the maritime powers led to confusion in saluting and return of salutes. Great Britain, the world's preeminent seapower in the 18th and 19th centuries, compelled weaker nations to salute first, and for a time monarchies received more guns than did republics. Eventually, by agreement, the international salute was established at 21 guns, although the United States did not agree on this procedure until August 1875.

[opinionator]

Why The American Flag Is Folded 13 Times?

Because America is the 'Great Satan!'

[BaBaStooey]

When I was a younger man the VFW gave a demonstration on flag etiquette at my grade school and they mentioned the 13 reasons you just stated. Great post, Thanks

[Fester Chugabrew]

Conspicuously absent from this symbolism is any reference to those of Muslim faith. Did we inadvertantly leave them out of the picture when this country was founded?