Q: What is Flag Day?

A: Today is Flag Day, a celebration of the adoption of the U.S. flag in 1777 by the Second Continental Congress. The celebration is believed to have originated in 1885 in Wisconsin. A few years later, in 1889, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, observed Flag Day at the school and it was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York, according to www.usflag.org.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day. In 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.

Greg Marlow, post commander of Daniel Day Entrican Post 2618 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said he is accepting flags for proper disposal.

Flags can be brought to Post 2618 at 728 Industrial Park Road NE in Brookhaven on the second Tuesday of each month just prior to the 5:30 p.m. meeting or to Marlow’s place of employment at R.B. Wall Oil Co. at 1220 Old Hwy 51 NE.

“If they call me I can make sure I’m here when they get ready to bring them by,” Marlow said.

He can be reached at 601-730-8281.

The post is planning a disposal ceremony, but has not set a date yet.

“We’ve got several flags that we need to take care of,” he said.

Marlow will take any sized flag, even the small ones given to children at parades.

“If they have those, go ahead and bring them to us and we’ll retire those in the same fashion we would the others,” he said.

Marlow understands there is protocol to follow when it comes to displaying the American flag, but for this veteran it’s important the flag be respected, but still flown.

“Display the flag, anytime, not just on Flag Day or on a holiday,” he said. “Display your flag all the time. If you feel that you may be doing it wrong, ask a veteran, they’ll tell you. If they don’t know for sure, the U.S. Flag Code, you can Google that and find it on the internet. It will tell you the proper way to display the flag. But display the flag, period. Put the flag out. That’s the big thing.”

According to flag code, the flag should not touch anything beneath it. It should always be permitted to fall freely. The flag should never be flown upside down. Flying it upside down is a sign of distress. If a flag is so tattered that it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of the U.S., it should be replaced in a dignified way.

When it comes to folding a U.S. flag, there are specific steps to take. First, hold the flag waist-high with another person so it’s parallel to the ground. Second, fold the lower half of the stripe section lengthwise over the field of stars. Third, fold again lengthwise with the blue field on the outside. Fourth, make a triangular fold by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to meet the open edge of the flag. Fifth, continue triangular folding until the entire flag is folded. Sixth, when finished only a triangular blue field of stars should be visible.