FLAGS ON DUTY

[Music] e [Music] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all our flag is more than just a piece of cloth with stars and stripes on it it has a glorious meaning to us and that is what we salute flags have always had meaning in history in every everyday life in emergencies for instance you remember the time that Billy was lost in the Hills you rescued him and used your flag to Signal across the canyon boy is safe that was the way Billy's mother learned that Billy was safe we saw then how important a flag could be wouldn't you like to know about some of the flags used in our country before our present Stars and Stripes the first flag planted on our soil was the Red Cross flag of England in 1497 after the Mayflower land dis flag Cromwell flag King's colar Massachusetts colony flag southern colony snake flag rebellious Stripes Betsy Ross Flag Star Spangled Banner of the War of 1812 then in 1818 13 stripes with a star for each state this is our flag that still lives and still flies from the the Tower of Independence Hall in Philadelphia where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and where George Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the armies this historical building still houses the famous Liberty Bell another historical flag in this upholstery shop Betsy Ross made the first form of our present flag according to tradition George Washington himself drew the design for her but let's turn to Modern flag this very day flag FL are used in many ways in our largest Metropolis We Salute the New York City flag a freighter from Great Britain is painted a dull gray to plow her way past enemy eyes a French ship in Wartime shows only one spot of color the flag a boat from Holland also flies a flag striped red white and blue but these Stripes run crosswise a Swedish Freer protects herself with a conspicuous display of her colors the Norwegian flag with its blue and white cross a South American freighter flying the Honduras flag arrives from Central America every week the year round these ships dock with their loads of bananas Romania with its small Coastline on the Black Sea sends its colors to far ports this flag famous blue Peter tells us that her boat is about to sail the ship is pulling out to bring cpra and spices from Manila ships from the Philippine Islands fly the American flag over the pH Philippine flag ocean liners are signaled into Port by the use of flags flags give the name of the ship in code if a ship entering Los Angeles Harbor requires a pilot she hoists a pilot flag and then waits for the pilot to arrive this procedure is similar in ports all over the world at the pilot station men are on watch constantly for ships that are due to arrive when the pilot sees the signal he immediately starts out to board the incoming ship the pilot boat flies its own flag Pilots often Brave Heavy Seas and Stormy Weather to bring the ship safely to dock they know the different Harbor channels when the waves are high the pilot May risk his life in climbing the rope ladder to board the ship officers on the ship are watching for the pilot boat loss of time May mean a great deal of money to the steamship company the pilot navigates from the bridge bringing the ship farther into the harbor where she drops anchor as soon as the pilot is on board the pilot flag is lowered and the yellow medical quarantine flag is run up this flag tells the officials of the medical quarantine station that the ship is ready for their inspection all over the world ports that have plague fly this yellow flag the ship is in quaran until the doctors and sanitary inspectors have declared her free from disease the people on board and the ship itself must be examined this ship has passed her examination and so the medical quarantine flag is lowered the lowering of this flag is the signal for the customs and immigration officers to come board they are fed out in a coast guard boat as the flag tells us these United States officials protect the Commerce of our country and see that no people enter here illegally they enforce the United States laws dealing with foreign countries and after these officials are through with their inspection a ship May proceed to Port this freighter is flying the red danger signal a refueling barge at her port side is pumping highly inflamable petroleum into her tanks a sailor lights a cigarette and is quickly told to put it out they might blow up the ship along the harbor Highway a flagman stops traffic the side of a mountain has given way loose rock is falling and might kill a passing motorist the red flag again saves many lives at the outermost point of the harbor men of the Marine Exchange are hoisting flags that are a weather report a warning to ships that are starting to seize these flags indicate the approach of a storm of marked violence with winds beginning from the Northeast a sailboat is in distress the rudder is broken and the boat is headed for the rocks help is needed anything upside down is the call for help any boat seeing this signal will come to his Aid this is a rule of the sea and cannot be ignored a port official sees the signal lucky too for a storm is brewing the Coast Guard again comes to the rescue and TOS him safely to shore the Coast Guard watches for all signals of distress as its boats Patrol our Coast enforcing the United States laws the flags of passing ships identify them to these experti Sailors proudly display their national emblem tattooed in different designs these flags may be a mark of identification if a man is hurt or loses his papers flags made of flowers are purely decortive but they strike a warm response in every heart such patriotic designs are a loving tribute to our great [Music] country at the capital of the United States in Washington the flag flying over the center Portico is the only flag in the country that is never lowered day or night over the wings of the capital flags are flown when the senate or House of Representatives is in session the White House the home of our president flies a flag when the president is in Residence [Music] the Statue of Liberty bids us uphold the ideals for which our flag stands Liberty equality human dignity these are the things we must all work for in preserving the greatest of all Flags Old Glory [Music] [Music] the [Music] the [Music]