Hobby Thread - July 6, 2024 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Do not adjust your interweb. This is an unapologetic Independence Day edition of the hobby thread. (Yes, we say "Independence Day" in this house - not just "July 4th.") Accordingly, a spin of the Ace of Spades wheel of hobbies has come up with a flag-waving theme.

The stars and stripes aren't a hobby per se, but we can make a hobby theme to celebrate Independence Day. Historians? Plenty of history has followed the flag in all of its forms. After all, it has waved in transit across the Delaware, above Fort McHenry and atop Mount Suribachi. Sewers and seamstresses? After all, Elizabeth Griscomare took a rough design idea and provided guidance to refine it further. You may know her more commonly as Betsy Ross. Mary Young Pickersgill made two large flags by hand for Fort McHenry. Photographers? One of the most famous photos ever taken showed a flag being hoisted at Iwo Jima. Genealogists? The flag has been draped over coffins and carefully folded and presented to descendants as a symbol of appreciation for honorable and faithful service. Musicians? The national anthem is a difficult song to sing and often requires performing live on a high profile stage in coordination with others. Military aviation? Oh yeah. Weather chasers? Florida man has you covered.

Do you have a special place to display the stars and stripes at your home? Do you have a favorite flag story? Do you have a flag that is important to your family? Have you made your own - in any medium? Have you visited noteworthy places where the flag flies? What traditions do you have for Independence Day? Do you have memories of parades and picnics and fireworks? How do you teach youngsters about Independence Day? Do you remember how you learned? Do you remember being taken to relevant sites? Did you take your children?

The horde is international, trans-oceanic, and potentially multi-planetary. If the American Independence Day and the American flag are not part of your tradition, please indulge us. Normal programming will resume next week.

Respect for flag:

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.
(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speakers desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
4 U.S.C. 8.

Peace the Old Fashioned Way. Lockheed F-117 - tail number 782 is the oldest of five Nighthawk prototypes. This shot comes from the 2005 Edwards Air Force Base Open House and Air Show. The video link shows the 782 and three others making their final flight to Plant 42 for retirement (at least we thought it was permanent retirement at the time):

The American flag from the famous flag raising photo taken by AP photographer Joe Rosenthal at the top of Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima currently lives in the United States Marine Corps museum in Virginia, near Quantico. The fighting on Iwo Jima was fierce and lasted 36 days. The Marines made it to the top of Mount Suribachi and raised a flag on February 23, 1945. It could be seen by Marines fighting below and the sailors offshore. Ships blew their horns when they saw the flag and sailors and Marines and sailors cheered. Marine Staff Sgt. Louis Lowery of Leatherneck Magazine was there and took several photos to capture the scene, but everyone ran for cover when the flag attracted gunfire from Japanese soldiers.

The Secretary of the Navy watched from offshore and requested the flag as a souvenir. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Chandler Johnson got the order and decided to replace the flag with a larger flag but keep the original for the Marines. A group of Marines climbed the mountain, took down the first one, raised the second one and Rosenthal got the iconic photo.

The first flag only flew for a few hours, so it wasn't weathered. The second flag shows more signs of wear and is shown in the photo above. Both are in the Marine Corps Museum, but only the second is on permanent display. Lowery's photos weren't published until after the war.

The movie "Flags of our Fathers" tells the story.

Another first flag/second flag story surrounds Fort McHenry and the origin story of the US national anthem. Francis Scott Key had approached the British navy on a mission of mercy to negotiate the release of the elderly Dr. William Beanes, a civilian non-combatant who had been taken prisoner by the British. The doctor was released and both returned to Key's boat, but the boat was tethered to a British ship and placed under guard to prevent them from disclosing British military information for the coming attack.

Key and others watched the 25 hour bombardment from the harbor. When morning came and the smoke lifted, he saw a waving American flag still above the fort. The British waited two days to release him which provided time to write a few lyrics.

The flag that waved during the bombardment is lost to history. A new flag was raised in the morning - the one Key saw. The second flag is the star spangled banner that is on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History. The story of the flag's conservation is worth a look for anyone interested in history or textiles. The Smithsonian completed its conservation project in 2006.

This Old House with tips on flag etiquitte:

The national anthem is better with the Blue Angels:

This is a hobby thread, so we should do some building and crafting:

American Flag Quilt Tutorial

Flordia Man!

Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

Did you miss last week's hobby thread with an national parks? The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content. Thanks to Diogenes for this tip:

This kind of thing warrants a field trip, so off we went:

Just a reminder that new finds may be hiding in plain sight - right in your backyard! (Yes, there are American flags at the markers - consistent with the theme.)

If the flag is not your thing and you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, you may be beyond redemption. In any case, hijack the thread for your hobbying as you see fit. We will feature a different hobby next time around. Send thoughts or suggestions to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Team America has endorsed this thread content. No refunds. Thanks for being here.

posted by Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

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