America: A Veteran’s View

I guess my first experience with the American flag came when I was 9 or 10 years old. I remember it came on the Fourth of July as my dad was decorating my bike to enter the Huntington Park “Best Decorated Bike Contest.” I remember my father weaving the red, white and blue crepe paper so perfectly through the spokes of the tires; and placing the red, white and blue streamers at the ends of my handlebars. And last, but not least, attaching the flag holder in the center of my handlebars that would hold five tiny American flags.
At the age of 9, I did not feel that I was patriotic. But years later I realized that it was my father, a Marine in World War II, who was giving me my first lesson in patriotism. Little did I know that a short 10 years later I would be fighting in the rice paddies of Southeast Asia in a little country that no one heard about – Vietnam.
I would only hope that all parties involved in this controversy keep focused on the real issue – our men and women fighting for the freedom of our flag.
Up to this date, we have already placed over 6,000 flags on the caskets of brave men and women who died fighting for our American flag in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This is why more of our politicians and business people should try to promote more of our establishments to fly American flags outside their buildings. A lot of these people sell flags inside for a profit, they just don’t fly the American flag outside for patriotism.
I drive up Route 9 every day and see way too many businesses and state buildings that do not have flags flying outside their buildings.
It’s very difficult for me to try to understand this controversy in what makes a banner into a flag. But, I do know if I were driving down a road and saw a regular banner laying on the ground I probably would not stop my car and pick it up; but if it were a banner made of American flags, I would stop my car to pick it up.
I believe today our American flag is being very commercialized. People on the beaches wear bathing suits resembling American flags. T-Shirts resemble American flags, and most of our politicians wear ties on the Fourth of July resembling American flags. We as Vietnam veterans know as well as anyone that veterans fought in all wars for the freedoms we have today. I am not the judge of how someone flies the flag, I only hope that it is done with respect.
Since the Revolutionary War men and women have fought and died for our flag. George Washington hoisted the flag when he crossed the Delaware. Every ship that arrived on the beaches of D-Day displayed the flag. Soldiers in the Korean War died carrying the flag up the snow-covered mountains.
There were 59,000 Americans who came home in flag-draped caskets from Vietnam. Our American women and men fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan proudly wear the American flag on their uniform every day.
Whenever I visit the Forgotten Warrior Museum at Cape May County Airport, and I walk into that historic museum and see all the mementos donated from the Korean and Vietnam wars, I see the American flag on the uniforms that were donated and the medals and the letters. Once again, I would like to see our politicians and business people focus their attention and their fighting over this issue into a more positive issue – for example; housing for our veterans and returning veterans in Cape May County, jobs for our veterans, medical care for our veterans, and, addressing the homeless veterans issue in our country.
With 160,000 homeless veterans in this country, to me that represents 160,000 American flags sleeping in abandoned cars under bridges, in abandoned buildings and in shelters. Maybe consider not charging our veterans a fee to get on our beaches.
Everyone should remember one thing: We should be fighting for our flag – not over it.
Maybe our leaders in Middle Township need to take a lesson from Sea Isle City, a town in which my wife and I have lived for 35 years. I do not believe there is a more patriotic city than Sea Isle City. Mayor (Freeholder) Desiderio sees to it every year that all the streets are lined with American flags from one end of Sea Isle City to the other; and all our residents follow suit.
So far this year, Sea Isle City has given out over 900 Veterans Free Beach Badges to all veterans who went to Sea Isle City. Each badge has an American flag on it. We should be promoting the flag for the simple fact that men and women are over in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting for our flag and here we are in Middle Township fighting over the flag.
I guess I look at the flag a little different than most people. When I see the white stripes on the flag I think of the shock and scared look on the face of the families when the knock comes on the door and informs the family that their loved one has died fighting for their country; when I look at the red stripes it reminds me of the marks left on their faces of all the years crying for their loved one; when I look at the blue on the flag I see the sadness in their hearts. But, when I look at the stars – I see the faces of the Veterans smiling down on us saying “it’s okay, the sacrifice was worth it – our people are free and our country is free.”
I’m sorry for talking so long about the American Flag – but that’s because there are so many faces on it. And I want to thank my Dad for decorating my bike 56 years ago……….(ED. NOTE: The author is a veteran and resident of Middle Township.)