I WAS BORN ON JULY THE 4TH, 1776. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IS MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE. MY NAME IS “OLD GLORY.” I STAND FOR MANY THINGS AND MANY PEOPLE. THEY RECOGNIZE ME ALL OVER THE WORLD. I STAND FOR PEACE - HONOR - TRUTH - JUSTICE AND… FREEDOM. I AM SALUTED - I AM RESPECTED - I AM REVERED - I AM LOVED, AND … I AM FEARED. I STAND GUARD WITH THE GREATEST MILITARY POWER IN THE WORLD. I AM CONFIDENT - I AM ARROGANT - I AM PROUD. WHEN I AM FLOWN WITH MY FELLOW BANNERS, MY HEAD IS A LITTLE HIGHER - MY COLORS A LITTLE TRUER --- I BOW TO NO ONE! I HAVE FOUGHT IN EVERY BATTLE OF EVERY WAR, FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS: GETTYSBURG, SHILOH, SAN JUAN HILL, THE TRENCHES OF FRANCE, ROME, THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY, GUAM, OKINAWA, JAPAN, KOREA, THE JUNGLES OF VIETNAM, THE DESERTS OF THE PERSIAN GULF. …AND A SCORE OF PLACES LONG FORGOTTEN BY ALL BUT THOSE WHO WERE THERE WITH ME. I HAVE BEEN A SILENT WITNESS TO ALL OF AMERICA’S FINEST HOURS. STILL MY FINEST HOUR COMES WHEN I AM TORN INTO STRIPS TO BE USED AS BANDAGES ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE FOR MY WOUNDED AIRMEN - MARINES - SAILORS AND SOLDIERS…OR…WHEN I FLY AT HALF MAST TO HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED ME SO PROUDLY…OR…WHEN I LIE IN THE TREMBLING ARMS OF A GRIEVING MOTHER AT THE GRAVE SIDE OF HER FALLEN SON OR DAUGHTER. MY NAME IS “OLD GLORY”…LONG MAY I WAVE. ON BEHALF OF THE AIRMEN, MARINES, SAILORS AND SOLDIERS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE, WE PRESENT TO YOU “OLD GLORY,” THE FLAG YOU HAVE SO PROUDLY SERVED AND SO HONORABLY DEFENDED.