Category: Flag Blog

Happy Birthday US Coast Guard!

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SAMSUNGThe Coast Guard turned 224 years old yesterday August 4, 2014. Beginning in 1790, Congress commissioned a flotilla of 10 to enforce tariff and trade laws, prevent smuggling, and protect the collection of federal revenue. (www.military.com) The Coast Guard is one of the oldest organizations in our government. The original name was Revenue Marine and the Revenue Cutter Service the name was changed in 1915 when the government joined the Service with the Life-Saving Service to form an organization to serve all maritime services. Including, saving life at sea, enforcing our nation’s maritime laws, aid to maritime navigation, operating the nation’s Lighthouses, Merchant Marine licensing and inspection, since 2003 the Coast Guard has served under the Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard has been a defensive frontline in its long esteemed history.

The Women’s Reserve of the U. S. Coast Guard Reserve program (officially nicknamed the “SPARs”), was first established in 1942. LCDR Dorothy Stratton transferred from the Navy WAVES to serve as the director of the SPARs. A total of 978 women officers and 11,868 enlisted women served in the SPARs during World War II. (www.uscg.mil) although women were keepers of lighthouses as early as the 1830’s. In 1973, Congressional legislation ended the Women’s Reserve and women were first officially integrated into the active-duty Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Reserve. This background is sparse (this is a blog!). For more 411 please check out the USCG link.

My girlfriend Melanie and I graduated from high school in 1979. I asked Melanie to tell her story.

What age were u when joined?

I went into the Coast Guard through the “Delayed Enlistment Program” in signed up when I was 17 yrs, I forged my mothers signature to the paper work.

Why the USCG versus another branch of the military?

Actually, there are 2 reasons – 1st one is that I got interested when in 6th grade on a field trip to an air station in Port Angeles, WA. Then I figured I’d go into a smaller military thinking that there may be better opportunities. I was not offered very many opportunities after high school.

What opportunities were offered u as a women?

None really, it was 1979 and they men including the officers thought of the women as “moral incentives for the men” kind of sucked. (that is another story in itself)

Save over 50% of retail on this flag at the US Flag Store!

What were your duties?

I was first stationed in Cape May, New Jersey (Boot camp). While in Cape May I won a push up contest against the guys and I was approached by an officer and asked if I would be interested in being the very first “Full Time” fire fighter in Kodiak, AK. Silly me thought why not. That was the hardest job I have ever had. Men usually only need to prove themselves once with other men, I was forced to proved my abilities daily (I had to carry 200lb men up and down ladders in and out of windows, etc…every stinking day. Then I was stationed in San Diego & Texas (ship and oil well firefighting schools). Then I was sent to Petaluma, CA (Coast Guard Station Two Rock)where I trained to be a radioman. Then to Charleston SC I was radioman their, and off the Miami, FL where I also was a radioman. (As far as busy USCG bases Miami was crazy, I would handle at least 20 SARS (Search & Rescue cases), about 5 Drug enforcement cases, and maybe 10 immigration cases at the same time. I extended my enlisted for one year and got out in 1984.

What is your proudest moment in your USCG career?

I have several but the one that stands out the most is in 1980 I was on Leave in Georgia and came across a vehicle overturned in a ditch. I crawled into the car and assisted the occupant while Billy Carter stood outside the car and kept putting out the fire that had erupted. He told his brother Jimmy about me and I was awarded one of the highest medals offered by the coast guard for bravery and courage.

Now that you have a daughter of your own, would u recommend a military career?

Yes, I would recommend the Coast Guard to my daughter, it taught me valuable lessons that I use every day.

What advice to young women seeking a Coast Guard career would you give?

Check into the academy or officer training schools, an officer life is a much better one. Also, keep your mouth shut, follow orders whether you agree with them or not and just try to have the best time you can.

Melanie was the First Full-Time Women Fire Fighter in the United States Coast Guard. What an accomplishment in that era, because she helped pave the way for women Coast Guard members than set precedent today. Today, on the Birthday of our United States Coast Guard I say THANK YOU for all you do. For my girlfriend Melanie, you are so brave and true, thank you for being my friend.

Jacquie

Loving Life And Our Flag!

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Our AMERICAN FLAG is so rich in history I thought I would give a little background on some basic facts. Every red-blooded American knows the premise that Congress first authorized the flag June 14, 1777 (maybe not the date; who remembers dates?) and that we would have a star and a stripe represent each state. This evolved over the years because adding the next stripe was too much. We kept the thirteen alternating stripes to the original colonies, but added a new star as each state entered the Union. Did you know that the colors of our flag have significance also?

Red, White and Blue: Red is Valor. White is for Purity. Blue is for Vigilance and Justice.

wwii wall -southIn May 2014, my boyfriend (Honey) and I bought 500 small stick American Flags for Memorial Day. We had an idea to give back to those that had served in our Military, but what to actually do? We called Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, FL to see if we could place those on the graves, but the Boy Scout Troops in this area attend to the Cemetery. Next we called Veterans Memorial Park, also here in Pensacola, FL and they gave us permission to place the Flags around the park. Now Honey is a former Marine USMC (oorah) so he has very strong feelings to help and/or honor our Military. The Veterans Memorial Park, or as we call it here, “Wall South” (this is a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C.) not only has Vietnam War Memorial, but World War I, World War II, Korean War, Global War on Terror, and the Marine Aviation Memorials. We are so lucky to have such a beautiful memorial here in our city that is so historically based on a true love of our country!

marine flag6.25.14You think 500 flags is a lot of flags until you start placing them – after about an hour and a half we found out 500 was not near enough. Without even finishing this year’s placement, we started to plan for next year, larger flags and significantly more! We just loved our flags we bought and we were so humbled to give the honor to those that have served past, present and future. A couple weeks later, we won a gift certificate for Priceless! from the United States Flag Store by submitting a photo of these flags. With our gift certificate, I ordered Honey the Garden UCMC Flag and the Decorative Garden Flag Holder for Father’s Day. The garden flag is just gorgeous and made so well, double sided stitching with vibrant colors! The holder has a nice “locking” arm that secures your flag in all types of weather.

Have fun always,

Jacquie

Yes, Made In America

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FLGFACC1000025745_-01_FlagZone-Residential-Solar-Flagpole-LightI don’t know about you, but reading about 260 “displaced” factory workers in a time when unemployment is supposedly improving, really makes me mad. These are local folks who work hard for a wage that requires a second income if they want their kids to go to college – or simply to survive, if they head single-parent homes. As a country, America is a consumer nation, importing more goods than we export. What we export are services and technology. All very good things. But what the nation was founded on – hard work and tradition – is getting lost in the new economy.

The reason the mill workers mentioned above are facing layoffs is because of the cheap import of steel. Their employer has been lobbying against inequity for awhile, to remain nominal in cost and continue employing its workers. But it’s just plain less expensive to import so many products. In a time when the mill was lobbying to reduce imports of steel so they could remain competitive, the imports increased exponentially. Now we see men and women who were looking forward to retiring in five years, needing to find new jobs. We see a stalwart of the American industry closing down yet another factory. We see young kids who know the value of hard work entering the field only to exit again.

It’s a tough economy. And yes, United States Flag Stores does import some of their products. You can clearly see on the item description pages, the Country of Origin. It’s there for every flag so you know exactly what you are buying when you place your order. We carry some imported flags for those of you who may prefer something about them – the price, the material, your homeland (because America is the great Melting Pot!). And every customer is important; every customer is why we are in business; every customer has his or her own story. But if you do a search of all of our products, and plug in “America” for Country of Origin on our US Flag search page, you will see over 550 United States flags made right here in America – more than all other countries combined. We have thousands of US-made International flags site-wide, again far more than any other country of origin. Because we love our country. And we know you do, too. Thank you to all our loyal customers who support this American company by buying American flags.

Priceless!

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Clever picnic invites: $10
Bug spray: $5
3×5 Made-in-the-USA Flag from the United States Flag Store: $25.70Koralex II
Having your photo on United States Flag Store’s website: Priceless!

Send us your photos of our products in use or on display. If we use your picture, we will send you a $25 thank-you gift to be used on any of our merchandise! email photos to elizabeth.stubna@onlinestores.com with the product’s website item number or SKU, and the name and address on your registered account, so we can be sure to get your prize to you!

Please note the following: you must be a registered user of united-states-flag.com to receive your non-transferrable credit code. (you can register here: https://www.united-states-flag.com/customer/account/create/) Limit one credit code per registered user of united-states-flag.com. Submitting photos indicates your agreement that the photos are your own, and everyone identifiable in them has given consent to have their likeness used by us for any purpose on any onlinestores.com website. Photos must be accompanied by the SKU or item number from united-states-flag.com.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Flags

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is Monday, January 16, 2012, and it’s not too late to order a beautiful Martin Luther King, Jr. Decorative Flag from the United States Flag Store. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Flag is available in two sizes, 28” x 40” (vertical orientation) or 3 ft x 5 ft (horizontal orientation). Both flags are made from high quality nylon, feature vibrant colors and a beautiful design, and are suitable for indoor or outdoor use.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. flags feature a beautiful portrait of Dr. King on the right side of the flag with an American flag waving in the background. The text “Martin Luther King, Jr.” appears in gold letters at the top of the flag, and the text, “Yesterday’s Dream, Tomorrow’s Reality,” appears in red letters at the bottom of the flag.

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most influential figures in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Born on January 15, 1929, Dr. King grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. After becoming an ordained clergyman, completing graduate studies at Boston College, and serving as clergyman at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, Dr. King became active in the Civil Rights Movement. Using teaching from Christian tradition and the nonviolent protest philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. King used the power of words, nonviolent protests, and grassroots organization to pave the way for equal rights in the United States.

Dr. King was an influential leader, along with Rosa Parks, in the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955. In 1957, he was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization that proved essential to direction to the Civil Rights Movement. In 1963, Dr. King was one of the leaders behind the March on Washington, where he delivered his famous, “I Have a Dream speech.” Dr. King is among the youngest recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, which he received in 1964. Dr. King was shot in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1964 while delivering a speech to improve wages and conditions for sanitation workers.

Cotton, Nylon, and Koralex Flags by Valley Forge

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Flying a Valley Forge American Flag makes a statement. Not only are you displaying your patriotic spirit, but, by waving a United States flag manufactured by the Valley Forge Flag Company, you are supporting a business that has been family owned since 1882 and a company that is dedicated to manufacturing flags that are 100% American-made. With so many of our consumer goods being outsourced to other parts of the world, purchasing an American-made flag is one big way to support a business that is truly committed to keeping operations and materials in the United States.

The United States Flag Store is the largest online vendor of Valley Forge Flags and carries flags in cotton, nylon, and Koralex materials. The Valley Forge Best Cotton American Flags are the traditional choice for American flags. These flags are made of heavy-duty 2×2 ply mercerized cotton to ensure durability and weather resistance. The flag’s colors are rich and vibrant and wear well through outdoor weather. For even better durability, the Valley Forge Best cotton American flags are reinforced with four rows of stitching at the fly end. These traditional cotton flags are available in large sizes for outdoor use, including 3×5 feet, 4×6 feet, and 5×9.5 feet at unbeatable prices. At the United States Flag Store website, you’ll also find Valley Forge Best cotton flags in a 6×9.5’ government version and a Heritage series flag.

The Valley Forge Nylon American Flags are of highest quality nylon flags on the market and are a less expensive alternative to the traditional cotton flags. Featuring heavy-duty nylon construction, these flags are designed to resist the fading and fraying that occurs with repeated outdoor use. What makes the Valley Forge nylon American flags so special, however, is their elegant construction. With sewn stripes, embroidered stars, and heavily reinforced fly ends, these flags are a cut above many other nylon American flags on the market. Available in sizes ranging from 2×3 feet to 20×38 feet, and discounts available for ordering in large quantities, a Valley Forge nylon American flag just might be the perfect addition to your home or business.

Koralex II American Flags from the Valley Forge Flag Company are another great alternative to cotton flags. Koralex is a synthetic material that looks like coarse cotton but is more durable. Koralex flags resist fading and fraying better than cotton, making them perfect for outdoor use. The Valley Forge Koralex II flags available on the United States Flag Store website are beautifully crafted with sewn stripes and embroidered stars and feature a canvas or nylon heading with brass grommets. Koralex flags are available for as low as $21.95 and in sizes ranging from 3×5 feet to 20×38 feet.

Mailbox Covers

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Are you tired of your same old, boring—and maybe rusty—mailbox? The U.S. Flag Store is here to help you give your old mailbox a makeover with a Mailwraps Magnetic Mailbox Cover! With addressable, seasonal, holiday, and animal mailbox covers, you’re sure to find something to spruce up your box!

If you’re looking for a unique way to display your street address, then consider personalizing a Mailwraps Addressables Mailbox Cover. With a huge variety of styles featuring turning leaves, birds, pumpkins, snowmen, flowers, and the American flag, you can customize your mailbox wrap to your own home’s style.

Christmas is in just a couple of weeks now, but it’s not too late to order your Christmas Mailbox Cover. The U.S. Flag Store has so many Christmas styles to suit your tastes: designs include whimsical snowmen, Christmas tree scenes, Santa, and poinsettia. But don’t forget the other holidays! At the U.S. Flag Store site, you’ll find mailbox covers for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.

Show off your patriotic American spirit with Mailwraps Patriotic Mailbox Covers featuring plenty of good old red, white, and blue! You’ll find a wide variety of patriotic mailbox wraps at the U.S. Flag Store’s website. Some of the designs available include an Addressables mailbox cover, a colonial flag, an antique flag, patriotic hearts, and a celebration flag. The U.S. Flag Store also has a “Support Our Troops” mailbox cover, featuring the yellow ribbon.

If you like to change your mailbox cover with the seasons, the U.S. Flag Store has a huge variety of season mailbox covers for winter, spring, summer, and fall. Designs feature everything you could imagine: from snowflakes and beach scenes to snowmen and mittens.

Do you have a plastic mailbox? Not a problem at the U.S. Flag Store! Just order a Mailwarps Adapter Kit for plastic mailboxes. The kit includes two self-adhesive “magnet receiver strips” that allow your mailbox to hold on to any of the U.S. Flag Store’s great mailbox covers!

Tailgating Games

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The weather may be getting colder, but it’s never too cold to have a tailgate party before the big game! The U.S. Flag Store has everything you need to keep you entertained at your tailgate party with classic games including washer toss, corn hole, ladder ball, and even tailgating tables!

Washer Toss is one of the best lawn or tailgating games, fun for young people, old people, and everyone in between. The basic washer toss set includes two sets of four washers (one red set and one blue set), two washer toss boards, and instructions. Best of all, the washer toss game packs up into a handle box for easy travel. For sports fans, the U.S. Flag Store sells NFL Washer Toss and NCAA Washer Toss Set. If you’re a football fan, choose from twenty popular NFL teams; and if you’re a college sports fan, you’ll chose from eighteen of the best college teams.

The Tailgate Toss set is a great way to have fun at an outdoor party. Just like traditional beanbag toss, the object of the game is to throw as many beanbags in the hole as you can. The Tailgate Toss set comes with two sets of four bean bags (one red set and one blue set), two plastic boards that lock together for easy storage, instructions, and a durable nylon carrying bag. For the sports fans out there, the U.S. Flag Store offers the Tailgate Toss with the logos of 77 different NCAA teams and all 32 NFL teams. This game is a great way to spice up your tailgate party!

If you haven’t played Ladder Ball, you’re missing out on a lot of backyard and tailgate fun. The object of the game is to throw bolos at a ladder and get the bolos to wrap around the ladder rung. The U.S. Flag Store sells awesome Football, NCAA, and NFL Ladder Ball sets, using a goal post with rungs and a football field base instead of the traditional ladder. Ladder ball is a great game to throw in the car on your way to a party and is sure to bring lots of fun with it!

Gadsden Flag T-Shirts

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The United States Flag Store has a fantastic selection of Gadsden Flag T-Shirts. The Gadsden flag is an American historical flag.  It has a yellow background with a coiled rattlesnake.  Underneath the rattlesnake reads the phrase: “Don’t tread on me.”  The American general Christopher Gadsden designed this flag. The Gadsden flag was used for by the United States Navy, and it has most recently been adopted by the Tea Party Movement.

The Original Don’t Tread On Me T-Shirt features an authentic image of the Gadsden flag on a bright yellow t-shirt.  These shirts are printed in-house on high-quality, value-priced, 100% heavy-duty Fruit of the Loom cotton. Shirts are available in sizes small through triple extra large, and at only $14.95, they are truly a great value and make great gifts!

If you’re looking for something more formal, United States Flag Store also offers a classy Gadsden Flag Polo Shirt.  The image is featured in the upper left-hand corner.  These great shirts are only $19.99 and available in sizes small through double extra large.

If you’re looking for something more animated, take a look at the United States Flag Store’s Gadsden t-shirts in diamond and fire designs.  These t-shirts feature a profile image of the rattlesnake, ready to bite.  An American flag and Declaration of Independence appear in the background of these snazzy shirts, and you can choose from diamond or fire text for the slogan. These great shirts are available in sizes small through triple extra large, and discounts are available for ordering two or more!

The scrolls version of the Gadsden t-shirt is particularly flashy because it features the open-mouthed rattlesnake facing out, allowing both beady eyes and long, sharp fangs to be completely visible. Like the diamond and fire t-shirts, the American flag and Declaration of Independence are featured in the background.  The famous slogan appears on two scrolls, one above and one below the rattlesnake image.

Be sure to check out more great varieties of the Gadsden flag t-shirt at United States Flag Store’s website.  Printed on the highest quality, heavy-duty cotton, these shirts are truly a great value and fantastic way to voice your political views!

Military Patches

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If you’ve already bought a U.S. Flag Store Military Flag to honor your loved one in the Service but are looking for another way to show your support, then check out the U.S. Flag Store’s Military and POW Patches. For as little as $1.99, you can show your support for your loved one serving by stitching or ironing one of these patches onto your coat or bag.  All Military and POW patches are beautifully embroidered and have a vinyl backing.

If you’re looking for classic logos, the U.S. Flag Store sells traditional circular and rectangular U.S. Military Patches.  You’ll have your choice of a patch with the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy logo.  Each embroidered circular patch is three inches in diameter, has a vinyl backing for durability, and beautiful gold trim.  These great patches are just $1.99—33% off the list price.  Discounts are available for buying five or more patches, so order some patches for your friends and family as well!

The rectangular military patches are of the highest quality and very detailed in their design.  These 3½” x 2¼” patches are machine embroidered, enabling exact duplication of the finest details of the military logos.  Choose from the Air Force, Marine Corps, Army, Coast Guard, or Navy emblems.  The Army and Coast Guard patches also include the year each service branch began, 1775 and 1790, respectively.  These patches are just $2.49 each and can be sewn or ironed onto clothing.

The POW/MIA Patch is black and white and includes a silhouette of a man’s head in front of a watchtower and barbed wire fence.  The text “POW/MIA” and the motto, “You Are Not Forgotten,” are also included on the patch.  The embroidered POW patch is 3” by 2¼” and has a vinyl backing.  At just $1.99 each and with discounts available for buying five or more, this POW patch is a great way to muster your family and friends’ support for you during this most stressful time.

These military patches are truly a great, affordable way for you and your family and friends to show your support for your loved one in the U.S. Armed Services.  So start wearing your pride on your sleeve and order your patches today!