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Old 03-28-2007, 10:21 AM
Drac's Avatar
Drac Drac is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Richardson TX
Posts: 1,781
Talking A story from my Flag Chronicles

As some of you know I have a project where I have a personal flag flown at various historical sites and monuments around the country. Many of these people will go out of their way to assist me with this project. They have flown them on special days like Dec 7th on both the USS Arizona and the USS Utah, the forgotten battleship. One person helped me in Boston by flying it over the Old North Church on the anniversary of Paul Revere's ride and than got it to the FedEx depot to have it in Concord for the anniversary of the first battle on the next day. Many places, many stories but one that just happen has really shown me how great people can be. Here is a copy of the email the gentleman sent to me:

Jim,

Am just returned from Virginia and the opening of the Monitor Center--and the very successful raising of the flag you sent to me.

On Friday 9 March I approached the coordinator of the living history camps, Tracey Niekirk, who immediately said that it would be no problem. Suspicious of the ease with which we had gained permission, I told the half dozen men I pulled out of our living history crew that we would meet at 3pm and QUICKLY lower the museum's flag, raise yours, take a photo, and replace the original flag before Security could react...! At 2:59 we met at the pole--and discovered that the lower cleat was secured within a locked box. Tracey said that we would have to check with Security. The guard I found inside the entrance contacted her immediate superior, who called down the next-higher mucky-muck from the Main Office upstairs. After a five-minute wait, said official appeared and very politely told me that she had been told we could not raise your flag. I asked her for a reason, and she said that she had only been told, "No," and was very sorry. I was furious as well as confused, but forced myself to keep a straight and pleasant face, thanking her for asking and assuring her that I understood she was but the messenger.

When I went back outside and explained this to my men, they too were upset. We decided to march through the museum and at least hold the flag up in front of the turret of the replica Monitor. On the way, we passed one of the security guards; I smiled and explained what we were going to do (since we undoubtedly looked mad and probably appeared to ready to storm the ship). I do not know who called whom--whether it was one of the original guards or the slightly higher-ranking individual they contacted--but halfway down the lobby, I was approached by a fellow named Danny Engles--who is the hero of this email. Danny identified me and then said, "I built the ####ed boat, I can do what I want with her." He asked me if I wanted to raise the flag over the stern of the Monitor and I said, "Yes!" And so we walked through the Museum and out to the ships, where he stood patiently by until we had photographed the lowering and raising of the flags. We all thanked Danny, as this was a special event for us independent of the experience of putting up your banner. When we walked back through the museum and lobby, the various guards all gave us knowing smiles.

On Saturday, 10 March, I met Danny in the lobby again and told him that my men were still talking about the flag ceremony and how much they appreciated what he had done. He said that he had gotten some flak, but that it had been worth it. I asked him what had happened. He said that when he had come back inside on Friday, the head of Security found him and said, "Danny, you shouldn't have done that." Engles replied that it was done and it had been the right thing to do--to which the Security Chief replied, "I know, and I am glad you did it. I couldn't, but I wish I had!" What a relief to see common sense and "the right thing" win out over bureaucratic rules! On to Shiloh!


Regards,
Chuck Veit
President, Navy & Marine Living History Association
www.navyandmarine.org


I'm going to have this printed up on some nice paper and frame it to hang in my shop to remind me the way people can and should be.

I hope you guys find it as touching as I do,
Jim


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I cook with a flair for the dramatic,
and depraved indifference to calories

Last edited by Drac; 03-28-2007 at 10:46 AM.
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