Pres. Woodrow Wilson designated Flag Day in 1916
On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the 'Stars and Stripes,' the official flag of the new nation.
Its 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white, five-pointed stars on a blue field was intended to represent the13 original colonies.
Flag Day is celebrated on June 14th to commemorate the adoption of the United States flag.
While celebrations had been ongoing in the states, Pres. Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day on May 30, 1916. He asked that it be observed with patriotic exercises across the country.
President Harry S. Truman further ensconced Flag Day as a national observance with a proclamation on June 14, 1946 – the first Flag Day after the end of World War II.
'Under this flag, generations of Americans have lived and worked to establish the foundations of our country's greatness. This flag has become the beloved symbol of our way of life, our achievements as a people and the many blessings which Providence has heaped upon us,' Truman's proclamation reads in part.
'In this year following our great victories on the field of battle, it is especially appropriate that we continue the customary observance of this day and dedicate ourselves with renewed devotion to the responsibilities and obligations of citizenship under this flag,' it continues.
In 1799, the Pennsylvania General Assembly authorized use of the state's coat of arms on flags for the state militia.
The coat of arms, which dates to 1778, went through several variations. Basically, it's an American eagle perched atop a shield guarded by horses on either side above the state's motto – Virtue, Liberty and Independence.
The legislature approved a state flag for general use, featuring a standardized coat of arms, on a plain field of blue on June 13, 1907.
Schuylkill County's flag has its roots in the county's bicentennial celebration in 2011.
Shenandoah Valley High School teacher and band director Robert Stoner incorporated the county's bicentennial logo on a white background with gold fringes and submitted it to the county commissioners as a county flag.
Stoner conceived of the design during the county's bicentennial celebration, when he wanted the high school band's color guard to carry the county flag, only to discover the county had no official flag, the Pottsville Republican reported.
Schuylkill County's seal was designed by Reginald Rix in 1974.
Shenandoah Valley students Danielle Najunas, Chris Swantek, Rocco Roguskie and Eric Cespedes worked with Stoner on the flag's design.
It hangs in the Hoffman Room in the county commissioner's office at the Schuylkill County Courthouse.
The county also has an official seal designed by Reginald Rix, curator of the Schuylkill County Historical Society, in 1974.
The seal has an American eagle perched atop frames depicting the county's forests and symbols of its coal mining, agricultural and manufacturing industries.
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How to properly retire US flags in Monroe County
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Flag Day is this weekend, and patriots will be looking to fly their flags high in honor of the holiday! However, some residents may have US flags that have seen better days, and Monroe County is showing residents how to retire ripped, faded, or damaged flags. The reverence for Old Glory that inspired Flag Day arose decades after Betsy Ross sewed her first County Executive Adam Bello says it's as easy as a trip to the Monroe County/WM ecopark, located on Avion Drive in Rochester. Those with unservicable flags can drop them off — no appointment necessary. According to the county, the ecopark has collected over 15 tons of flags, or 30,000 pounds, for retirement. 'The ecopark provides a respectful way to retire unserviceable U.S. flags, while valuing patriotism and helping the environment,' Bello said. The ecopark is open from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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British investigators reach air crash site
British investigators have reached the Air India plane crash site. Officials from Britain's Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) have been deployed to assist the Indian investigation into the disaster, which claimed at least 260 lives. Natarajan Chandrasekaran, head of Air India's parent company Tata, said the investigators were working with their American and Indian counterparts in Ahmedabad after what he described as one of the 'darkest days in the Tata Group's history' 'They have our full cooperation, and we will be completely transparent about the findings,' he said, adding that the cause of the tragedy remains unknown. 'We don't know right now, but we will,' he said. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has also dispatched a team of consular specialists to work with the Indian authorities. The news came after the recovery of the plane's black box recorder that could answer questions about how the plane plummeted to Earth. The London Gatwick-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed around lunchtime on Thursday with 242 passengers and crew on board. All but one man, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, died in the crash. 'Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive,' he told national broadcaster DD News from his hospital bed. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and a Canadian on board the flight bound for London's Gatwick airport, as well as 12 crew members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the devastated neighbourhood on Friday and was also pictured by survivor Ramesh's bedside. This live blog is now closed as the investigation into the cause of the Air India plane disaster continues. There is hope the discovery of the plane's black box will shed light on the tragedy. These are today's key developments. British investigators reached the Air India plane crash site The plane's black box recorder was recovered India is considering grounding the airline's entire Boeing 787 fleet after ordering the inspection of all aircraft A woman missed the doomed Air India flight by 10 minutes because she got stuck in traffic Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, visited the sole survivor, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, in hospital Mr Ramesh recalled watching the plane's air hostesses die 'in front of my eyes' before he escaped out of an emergency door Sisters from London who died in the Air India plane crash had an 'amazing aura' and wanted to 'roam around the world', their cousin has said. Dhir and Heer Baxi, both in their early 20s, were returning home to the UK on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on Thursday when it crashed after surprising their grandmother for her birthday. Ishan Baxi, a cousin who lives in Ahmedabad, said 'everything is vanished right in front of our eyes' following their death. 'They both had aspirations to be successful enough to roam around the world like tension-free along with the parents, and they had proclivity towards modernisation without changing traditional values,' he said. 'Right now no one is able to come (to) terms because they both came here just to celebrate grandma's birthday but, see, the tragedy. They came, they celebrated and they both left the world, everything is vanished right in front of our eyes.' A couple who died in the Air India plane crash had already lost their only son in a previous aviation tragedy, a London temple leader has said. Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, who leads the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, north-west London, said the unnamed couple had been returning from a religious celebration in India when the flight went down. Their son, a pilot, had died in a crash in France several years earlier. 'This couple had gone to India for a religious celebration,' he said. 'They were coming back and now this has happened. After what has happened to their son as well. It's just terrible to think about.' Tributes have been paid to a former headmistress killed in the Air India plane crash. Panna Nagar served as headteacher of Northfleet Nursery School in Gravesend, Kent, between 2005 and 2020. The school said in a statement: 'Today, we gather in gratitude and admiration to celebrate a remarkable leader, mentor, and friend who gave over 15 wonderful years in championing early years in her position as headteacher of Northfleet Nursery School from 2005-2020. 'Ms Nagar sadly lost her life on the Air India flight AI 171 returning from a trip to India.' The sound of wailing fills this quiet, terraced street in Leicester as the mother of two passengers on board Flight 171 leaves her family home, reports Albert Tait in Leicester. One of her sons, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, is the sole survivor of the crash and is recovering in hospital, while the other, Ajay, 35, is presumed dead. The distraught woman, whose family has asked she is not named, cannot support her own weight – such is her grief – and has to be helped into a minivan that will take her to the airport. From there, she and other family members will board a flight this evening to Abu Dhabi as they make their way to Ahmedabad. Boeing and GE Aerospace have scaled back their public activities following the Air India plane crash. The companies manufactured the plane and its engines respectively. Boeing's chief executive, Kelly Ortberg, has cancelled a planned visit to the Paris Airshow next week and GE has postponed an investor day. The discovery of the Air India plane's black box has been confirmed by an Indian minister. Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, the civil aviation minister, said the recorder was found 28 hours after the crash by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). 'This marks an important step forward in the investigation,' he said. 'This will significantly aid the inquiry into the incident.' British investigators have reached the Air India plane crash site. Natarajan Chandrasekaran, head of Air India's parent company Tata, said: 'You know that in the past 24 hours, investigative teams from India, UK, and the US have arrived in Ahmedabad to investigate the crash. 'They have our full cooperation, and we will be completely transparent about the findings.' Mr Chandrasekaran said the cause of the disaster remained unknown before urging 'patience' amid 'plenty of speculation' about the disaster. 'We don't know right now, but we will,' he said, adding that it was one of the 'darkest days in the Tata Group's history'. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has also dispatched a team of consular specialists to work with the Indian authorities. The captain of the Air India plane had promised his ill father he would quit his job to care for him days before the crash. Capt Sumeet Sabharwal had told his father Pushkaraj, in his late 80s, that he wanted to care for him instead of flying across the world. Dilip Lande, an Indian MP, said his father told him when he visited his home in Mumbai to offer condolences. 'I didn't know how to even begin a conversation,' Mr Lande told India Today. 'His father couldn't say a word. His eyes were filled with tears. 'He told me Sumeet had spoken to him just three days ago, saying he wanted to leave flying and come home to care for him.' Flags at Parliament are flying at half mast in tribute to those who died in the Air India crash. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the Commons, said: 'Following yesterday's terrible plane crash in Ahmedabad, the flags at the House of Commons are today flying at half mast.' A prominent Indian paper ran a front-page Air India advert showing a plane coming out of a building on the day of the crash. Running on Thursday in the Mid-Day newspaper, the cover advertised a 'dad's day out' at an indoor family theme park excursion in Ghatkopar mall ahead of father's day on Sunday. Kidzania India on Friday clarified that the ad was 'submitted well before the unfortunate event, as part of a pre-planned summer campaign.' 'We remain sensitive to this tragedy and have paused any further promotion of the said visual,' they added. India's aviation regulator has told Air India to carry out safety checks on its entire Boeing 787 fleet, an order showed on Friday. The checks will cover the fuel parameter monitoring and associated system checks, the regulator said, as well as a review of take-off parameters. Air India and the Indian government are probing several parts that may have caused the plane to crash, a source has told Reuters. The investigation includes potential issues with the plane's engine thrust, its flaps and why the landing gear remained open. A possible bird hit has been ruled out as a source of the crash, the source said. The probe includes analysing any possible fault of Air India, including maintenance issues, they added. The Foreign Office has been in contact with the British sole survivor of the Air India plane crash, Downing Street has said. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, is recovering in hospital and said he has 'no idea' how he survived. A Number 10 spokesman said on Friday: 'FCDO staff have been in contact with Mr Ramesh this morning to offer consular support.' Lindy Cameron, the British High Commissioner in India, also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, according to Number 10, 'offering her condolences and the UK's support to the investigation'. The spokesman also said the helpline set up by the Foreign Office in response to the crisis has received 'almost 300' calls as of Friday morning. Family members of a British man who survived the Air India plane crash are flying to India to be with him in hospital. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, is the sole survivor of Air India Flight 171 which crashed minutes after take-off in Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday morning. The family will also be searching for the body of Ajay Kumar Ramesh, Mr Ramesh's older brother, who is feared dead. Hiren Kantilal, Mr Ramesh's cousin, said that up to 15 family members were flying to India on Qatar Airways on Friday. 'Vishwash called his dad and said the plane crashed. He said he didn't know how he got out of the plane,' said Mr Kantilal. 'He kept saying, 'I'm waiting for my brother, I haven't seen him'. He added that while the family were grateful Mr Ramesh had survived, they were grieving for the loss of his brother, who was 45-years-old. 'It's hard talking about Ajay. We couldn't describe in words about Ajay. We don't have any words for him.' Mr Ramesh, a businessman from Leicester, was in seat 11A next to one of the aircraft's emergency exits when he miraculously survived the crash. Families have claimed that Indian authorities have barricaded the hospital wards where plane crash victims are being treated, The Telegraph can reveal. Despite being directed to local hospitals for updates, many family members said they had received no information from authorities since the crash on Thursday. Indian authorities have said the measures are due to safety and forensic protocols. 'There's nothing you can do inside,' one official reportedly told a family at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. 'Please understand,' they added. Forensic teams on the scene are struggling to identify victims due to the scale and severity of the plane crash. Professor Naresh Soni, a forensic specialist, said his team are racing against time as rising temperatures increase the risk of sample degradation. 'Identifying victims is extremely difficult under these conditions,' Mr Soni told The Telegraph. 'All recovered remains have been transferred to the post-mortem unit. Our forensic teams are conducting DNA testing, and identification will be confirmed before remains are returned to families.' The Indian government is considering grounding Air India's Boeing 787 fleet after one of its planes crashed, killing more than 240 people. The country's Ministry of Civil Aviation is mulling grounding all Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners as a precautionary measure while a safety review takes place, sources told Indian broadcaster NDTV. Air India uses 787-8 for long-haul flights to the UK, North America and the Middle East, and the airline is expected to receive another one of the aircraft by the end of the year. It comes after a Gatwick-bound passenger jet ploughed into a residential area of India's Ahmedabad city within seconds of take-off, killing at least 265 people on board and on the ground. On Friday, Narendra Modi met the British sole survivor of the fiery crash on a visit to the devastated neighbourhood. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British businessman from Leicester, was in seat 11A next to one of the aircraft's emergency exits when he miraculously survived the crash. The Indian prime minister later posted on X: 'We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad. The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words. 'Condolences to all the bereaved families. We understand their pain and also know that the void left behind will be felt for years to come. Om Shanti.' Rescue teams with sniffer dogs continued to comb the site on Friday as investigations continue into the cause of the crash. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mourned the death a former Indian politician and colleague killed in the crash. Mr Modi said it was 'unimaginable' that Shri Vijaybhai Rupani is no longer 'in our midst'. 'I've known him for decades. We worked together, shoulder to shoulder, including during some of the most challenging times,' he wrote on X. Mr Modi posted a photo of him consoling Mr Rupani's family. One woman can be seen crying into a handkerchief. 'Vijaybhai was humble and hardworking, firmly committed to the party's ideology,' Mr Modi added. 'Rising up the ranks, he held various responsibilities in the organisation and went on to serve diligently as Gujarat's chief minister.' The Chief Executive of London Gatwick has offered support to the families impacted by the crash. Stewart Wingate confirmed the Boeing 787-8 plane was en route from Ahmedabad Airport to London Gatwick when it crashed on Thursday. Mr Wingate said London Gatwick was 'very saddened to hear about the accident' and added 'our thoughts are with the family and friends of those on board'. 'We can confirm flight AI171 that was involved in an accident shortly after departure from Ahmedabad Airport on 12 June was due to land at London Gatwick,' he said in a post on X. 'London Gatwick is liaising closely with Air India and a reception centre for relatives of those on board is available with information and support.' A woman missed the doomed Air India flight by 10 minutes because she got stuck in traffic. Bhoomi Chauhan was returning to London, where she lives with her husband, after visiting India on holiday. She had tickets for Air India 171 but arrived ten minutes after boarding had finished, because of heavy traffic in Ahmedabad, and was denied entry onto the aircraft. Ms Chauhan admitted that while she was initially 'upset' about the airport staff's decision, she now feels that she was 'saved' by one of the gods in the Hindu faith. She told Indian broadcaster NDTV: 'I got late because I was stuck in traffic. 'I was upset [after being denied boarding] and reached the airport exit when I learnt the plane had crashed. My Ganpati ji [a deity in Hinduism] saved me.' More from Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole British survivor of the Air India crash. He told Indian state broadcaster DD News: 'I don't believe how I survived. For some time I thought I was also going to die,' he said. 'But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive and I tried to unbuckle myself from the seat and escape from where I could. It was in front of my eyes that the air hostess and others [died]'. Mr Ramesh said the plane appeared to come to a standstill in mid-air for a few seconds shortly after take-off and the green and white cabin lights were turned on. The sole British survivor of the Air India plane crash said he walked out of a broken emergency exit after the aircraft hit a medical college hostel in the city of Ahmedabad. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was filmed after Thursday's crash limping on the street in a blood-stained T-shirt with bruises on his face. Earlier this morning, the 40-year-old told Indian state broadcaster DD News from his hospital bed: 'The side of the plane I was in landed on the ground, and I could see that there was space outside the aircraft, so when my door broke I tried to escape through it and I did. 'The opposite side of the aircraft was blocked by the building wall so nobody could have come out of there.' Viswashkumar said he walked out of the crash site with only burn injuries on his left arm. Almost 70 per cent of the passengers on the 787 aircraft were found in their seats wearing seatbelts, an Indian first responder has said. Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer, told the Indian Express: 'Almost 70% of the passengers were found in their seats, most of them had their seatbelts on', the police officer said. The sole surviving passenger from the Air India crash said the lights on the plane 'started flickering' before the aircraft hit the ground. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, told the Hindustan Times: 'When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air. 'Suddenly, the lights started flickering - green and white - then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there.' Mr Ramesh, who was sat in seat 11a next to an emergency exit, told the newspaper the section of the plane he was in landed on the ground, rather than hitting the roof of a building. 'When I saw the exit, I thought I could come out. I tried, and I did. Maybe the people who were on the other side of the plane weren't able to,' he said. He added: 'I don't know how I survived. I saw people dying in front of my eyes - the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me ... I walked out of the rubble.' All seven of the families of the Portuguese victims live in the UK, Max Stephens writes. Five are registered at the consulate in London and two in Manchester, Portugal's ministry of foreign affairs said. The ministry said in a statement: 'So far it has been possible to determine that none of the Portuguese nationals have family living in Portugal'. Of the seven citizens with a Portuguese passport, five are registered at the consulate in London and two in Manchester, it added. The note added: 'At this moment, family members are on their way to the morgues to identify the bodies.' The Portuguese consulates contacted the relatives residing in the United Kingdom and made themselves available to provide any necessary support, it said. The Air India disaster in which a plane crashed moments after take-off in Ahmedabad is the first time that a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has been involved in a fatal accident. However, the aircraft has been beset by problems since entering service in 2011. Read why here. Nirali Sureshkumar Patel, a dentist from Mississauga, Ontario, has been identified as the single Canadian victim killed in the disaster, Max Stephens writes. Mrs Patel worked at the Heritage Dental Centre and was the mother to a one-year-old child. Her husband told Canada Press: That was my wife. I am not in a state to speak right now.' 'She was very nice. She was very gentle, but this is not a good time, another family member said. City Coun. Natalie Hart said in tribute: 'I'm deeply saddened to learn that Dr. Patel, a dentist who practised in Ward 5, has been identified as a victim of the Air India tragedy.' 'My prayers are with her loved ones and everyone in our community that will be mourning her.' Mrs Patel earned her dental degree in India in 2016, immigrated to Canada and received her licence to practice in 2019. A Boeing 787 jet identical to the one that crashed in India made four emergency landings in less than a month earlier this year. Some of the incidents involving the American Airlines plane were linked to issues with its wing flaps – vital control surfaces now under scrutiny following the Indian crash, after phone footage appeared to show they were not properly deployed. The American Airlines plane was initially forced to return to Amsterdam after a problem with its flaps was detected shortly after take-off for Philadelphia on Jan 7. Read the full story here Air India has diverted 16 flights in the Middle East after Israel launched an offensive against Iran this morning. Here's a list of the flights that have been diverted. An Air India flight from Phuket in Thailand to India's capital New Delhi received an onboard bomb threat on Friday and made an emergency landing on the island, airport authorities said. All 156 passengers on flight AI 379 had been escorted from the plane, in line with emergency plans, an Airports of Thailand official said. The aircraft took off from Phuket airport bound for the Indian capital at 9.30 a.m. (0230 GMT) on Friday, but made a wide loop around the Andaman Sea and landed back on the southern Thai island, according to flight tracker Flightradar24. AOT did not provide details on the bomb threat. Air India did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Indian airlines and airports were inundated with hoax bomb threats last year, with nearly 1,000 hoax calls and messages received in the first 10 months, nearly 10 times that of 2023. One of two black boxes from the plane had been found, Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times has reported. Reuters could not verify the report and the paper did not say whether the flight data recorder or the cockpit voice recorder had been recovered. The CEO of Air India visited the site of the crash earlier this morning. Campbell Wilson refused to answer questions from reporters when he attended the site. On Thursday, the New Zealander expressed his 'deep sorrow' over the tragedy, adding that the airline's efforts were 'focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones'. Credit: X/PTI_News Here's everything that's happened so far: Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, visited the scene of the crash in Ahmedabad, India The British sole survivor of the crash, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, is recovering in hospital saying he has 'no idea' how he survived Families have been giving DNA samples to help identify the victims All but one of the 242 passengers on board the flight died, but it's unknown how many died on the ground of the residential area where it crashed Their remains are still being recovered from the crash, with reports saying 81 bodies have been recovered so far Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
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Flag Day observed at Mount Wachusett Community College in a special way
The traditional field of red, white and blue has returned to the entrance at Mount Wachusett Community College. A display of about 2,000 American flags honoring Flag Day, June 14, was put in place by personnel from the Salvation Army Service Units and Veterans Committee and joined by volunteers from MWCC on Friday morning. Among those volunteering to place the flags were sisters Arie Voorheis and Brie Voorheis, who said their father is a veteran. Flying above the display is a 16-foot banner urging visitors to support local veterans. The banner was created by a student in the MWCC graphic design program. The field of flags tradition began 12 years ago when Wil Leslie, service extension director, and former Mayor Mark Hawke first started erecting hundreds of flags on the lawn in front of City Hall. As the tradition grew, so did the need for a larger space, and that's when officials moved the field to the MWCC entrance. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the tradition, which helps raise critical funds for The Salvation Army's Veterans Fund at the entrance of MWCC. The fund allows The Salvation Army to provide emergency social services and other assistance to those who served their nation. This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Flag Day display meaningful at Mount Wachusett Community College
