Flag flying project

[Drac]

Hi all,

I have been working on a project for about 8 years. I have a flag that was flown over my ship (USS Detroit) during Desert Storm. When I came back into the Reserves I was able to go to the USS Constitution for an AT. While there I had my flag flown on the ship. Across the pier was the USS Cassin Young, so I walked over there & they were happy to fly it. The Ranger was also in charge of Breed's (a.k.a. Bunker) Hill & he would also fly it there for me.

When I got back it got me thinking of all the other places it could go. I started with the Stay Navy website but they only had a few. I started going out on my own & finding more places. Over the years I have collected over a hundred sites w/contact information. I share them with other sailors who are retiring for the ceremonies.

I am constantly looking for more to add to the list. If anyone has recommendations it would be great.

Some of the note worthy flights have been:

Dec. 7th on the USS Arizonia Memorial
Dec. 7th on the USS Utah Memorial
Iwo Jima Memorial Park on the 50 anniversary of the landing (from the seal landing to the flag rising)
50th anniv. of the commissioning of the USS Nautilus
Both days of an anniv. of the Bombing of Ft McHenry (National Anthem written)
Anniv. of the ride of Paul Revere at the Old North Church
Anniv. of the Battle of Concord at Minute Man Park (the next day after the ride, it was a logistical nightmare)

Here a list of most of the sites I have collected:

SITE-COLONIAL
JAMESTOWN

SITE-REVOLUTIONARY WAR
BUCKMAN TAVERN
BUNKER (BREEDS) HILL
CONCORD, MA
GUILFORD COURT
INDEPENDENCE HALL
MOORES CREEK
MOUNT VERNON ESTATE
OLD NORTH CHURCH
SARATOGA
VALLY FORGE
YORKTOWN BATTLE SITE
YORKTOWN NATIONAL CEMETERY

SITE-WAR OF 1812
STAR-SPANGLED BANNER HOUSE-MARY PICKARDSBILL
FORT MCHENRY

SITE-AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD-ANTIETAM NATIONAL CEMETERY
APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE
GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
MANASSAS (BULL RUN)

SITE-WAR OF TEXAS INDEPENDENCE
ALAMO
SAN JACENTA BATTLE SITE

SITE-WORLD WAR II
ARIZONA MEMORIAL MUSEUM
IWO JIMA NATIONAL MEMORIAL
NATIONAL D-DAY MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
NATIONAL D-DAY MUSEUM NEW ORLEANS

SITE-MILITARY BASES/ CEMETERIES
FLEET RESERVE ASSOCIATION PEARL HARBOR HONOLULU
KANSAS CITY NAVAL RESERVE CENTER
NAR FT WORTH
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA
SITE-MODERN MISC
PENTAGON
US CAPITOL
US NAVAL MEMORIAL

SHIPS
SS AMERICAN VICTORY
SS JOHN W. BROWN
USAT LT-5
USCGC EAGLE WIX-327
USCGC TANEY WHEC-37
USS ALABAMA BB-60
USS ARIZONA (MEMORIAL)
USS BARRY DD-933
USS BATFISH SS-310
USS BOWFIN SS-287
USS BRIG NIAGARA
USS CAIRO
USS CASSIN YOUNG DD-793
USS CAVALLA SS-244
USS STEWART DE-238
USS CHIEF MCM-14
USS COBIA SS-245
USS COD SS-224
USS CONSTELLATION
USS CONSTITUTION
USS EISENHOWER CVN-69
USS HAZARD AM-240
USS MARLIN SST-2
USS INTREPID CV-11
USS KEY WEST SSN-722
USS LEXINGTON
USS LITTLE ROCK CLG-4
USS SULLIVANS DD-537
USS CROAKER SS-298
USS LSM-45
USS LST-325
USS MASSACHUSETTS BB-59
USS JOSEPH KENNEDY DD-850
USS LIONFISH SS-298
USS MIDWAY CV-41
USS MISSOURI BB-63
USS NAUTILUS SSN-571
USS NEW JERSEY BB-62
USS NIMITZ CVN-68
USS NORTH CAROLINA BB-55
USS OLYMPIA C-6
USS BECUNA SS-319
USS ORLECK DD-886
USS REQUIN SS-481
USS RONALD REAGAN CVN-76
USS SALEM CA-139
USS SILVERSIDES SS-236
USCGC MCLANE WMEC-146
USS SLATER DD-766
USS TEXAS BB-35
USS TORSK SS-423
USS TURNER JOY DD-951
USS UTAH BB-31/AG-16
USS WISCONSIN BB-64
USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (DDG-81)
USS YORKTOWN CV-10
USS LAFFEY DD-724
USCC INGHAM WHEC-35
USS CLAMAGORE SS-343
WAWONA

[bricelythgoe]

Wow! That is awesome. Good luck!

[lethearen]

Very impressive!

[MacBubba45]

I see the Winston Churchill has a new website. The old site had a fantastic story about them and a German ship on 9-11.

I spent a couple of reserve weeks on the Lady Lex. I was a signalman on one of the first DDGs (USS Barney) and I don't remember anyone collecting ensigns like this before about 10 years ago. Is it really that new? Did you get the flag off the Laffey while it's been at Patriot's Point (probably a dumb question)?

Interesting collection. Thanks!

[Tobus]

That is an impressive list. I was going to suggest the USS Texas and USS Lexington, but it looks like you've already got 'em! As well as the USS Cavalla and USS Stewart. You've obviously made the rounds in Texas.

I noticed you didn't list the Lexington's hull number next to her name, though. Her number is CV-16. She's had many different designations over the years (CV/CVA/CVS/CVT/AVT-16), but plain old CV-16 works just fine.

[RB51]

What a cool project...good luck with it! Not to detract from the thread, but as a non-military person I'm curious about the abreviations after the ship's names. What exactly do they mean/stand for?

Laurie

[piperdbh]

Have you taken the flag to all those places, or do you enlist others to help? If you'd be willing to mail it to me, I'd be glad to display it at the old courthouse in Morganton, NC, which was one of the meeting places of the Overmountain Men, who marched from TN, VA, and NC to defeat Cornwallis at the battle of King's Mountain.

[Tobus]

What a cool project...good luck with it! Not to detract from the thread, but as a non-military person I'm curious about the abreviations after the ship's names. What exactly do they mean/stand for?

Laurie

They are explained here: http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/s...o/usnsh-no.htm

[MacBubba45]

What a cool project...good luck with it! Not to detract from the thread, but as a non-military person I'm curious about the abreviations after the ship's names. What exactly do they mean/stand for?

Laurie

I can answer part of that.
DDGs are "destroyer guided missle". The ship I was on was converted from a WWII (and on) type common destroyer that just shot exploding shells to one that could launch a rocket (potentinially one that could even go nuke). The rocket we shot was an antisubmarine missle and could be guided electronically after it left the ship. I don't think I'm telling too many tales out of class here since all of this is 35+ years old. I was on #6, and we had no idea at the time that this type ship would become a workhorse for the Navy.

[cavscout]

Very cool! I see you have the ships in Charleston but you don't have Fort Sumter on the list. That would get you the beginning and the end of the civil war. Best of luck with the venture.

A few more to suggest:

Fort Pulaski, Fort Jackson, Fort Screven (Savannah GA)
Fort Frederica (GA)
Fort Barrancas (Pensacola FL)
Fort Macon (Beaufort NC)

Space Center Houston
Cape Canaveral

Lebanon Kansas - Geographical Center of the US
And the Extreme Points of the US