Forty six years ago, I raised my right hand in a room full of strangers and pledged to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I solemnly swore to do so while standing facing the flag that represents this country. For all of the years since then, that flag has played a central role in my life.
I watched her fly as a green recruit and came to understand she is more than just another piece of cloth. I watched her fly from the deck of many submarines and ships at bases all over the world. I listened with pride one night in Yokosuka Japan while a shipmate played Taps as we retired her for the day. I felt the crushing weight of seeing a comrade under her in a casket bound for home. I felt sadness at the deaths of so many veterans who also shared her as a final shroud.
It has never occurred to me that I would do anything but salute her when given the chance. My generation saw the rupture that was known as Vietnam and we saw the riots of the sixties. But the flag was an eternal symbol that gradually helped us to refocus. Now I see that it is becoming too common place that people feel they need to burn her and trample on her. They callously abuse the freedom and liberty we have preserved for them to use her as a blunt object with which to make their point. Politicians kneel and disrespect her for shallow and ignorant reasons. The courts have even given them license and liberty to do so.
But not me.
I will salute.
I have seen her flying on a cloudless day over the graves of so many men and women who gave their last breath to protect her in places like Arlington and too many other cemeteries to count.
I will salute.
I will salute.
I have spent time with the men and women whose bodies are broken but their spirits still soar as they revere her. Each time the anthem plays, they sit upright or struggle to their feet if they are able and face her one more time.
I will salute.
I have felt the harsh sand beneath my feet at Normandy and heard the wind singing of their glory and sadness on that fateful day. High above in the cliffs, I have heard the echoes of guns that tried to silence her. But they are silent now and SHE flies above their captured forts.
I will salute.
From coast to coast, city to city, borough to borough, I have seen her citizens fly her in remembrance of the bravest and the best and with a promise to protect their children’s future.
I will salute.
While others choose to use her as a sad symbol of protest and a lightning rod for a never ending litany of real and perceived offences, I know her real meaning. Until my dying day when I can no longer stand, I will find the strength to straighten my body until it is properly ready to render honors one last time.
Even then, I will salute.
Bob MacPherson July 27, 2018
theleansubmariner 
Reblogged this on Tales of an Asia Sailor.
What a Great Article Mister Bob MacPherson, and very timely for me as I just returned from the LAST AND 17th MCB-6 Association Reunion in Baltimore, MD. We had several tours lined up and I went on three; D.C. & ARLINGTON CEMETERY last Sunday; watched the Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the UKNOWN SOLDIER. We stood in the rain for over 20 minutes and it was raining constantly, and as I stood there I wondered how many hours these soldiers have face the snow, wind, and rain. I had left my poncho & umbrella in the room, but they handed out ponchos for those needing them. It was certainly an honor for me to see them again. We were told there is a LONG WAITING LIST TO EVEN START TRAINING FOR THAT POSITION.
On Monday we toured Fort McHenry and the B & O Railroad Museum. We missed the rain, BUT WE WERE VERY LUCKY TO BE HONORED HELPING CHANGING THE STORMY WEATHER FLAG (much smaller), AND REPLACING IT WITH A LARGER ONE FOR THE NICE WEATHER.
However, the rain returned Tuesday as we toured D, C. City and the Smithsonian, BUT IT TOO WAS A PLEASURE TO REVISIT “WALKING IN THE RAIN”.
I TOO WILL SALUTE and DID.
Great Job as Usual. Keep It Going Strong.
Thanks my friend. The tours sound like a great time. I am sorry it will be the last big reunion but only here on this planet. I have a feeling that someday you will all be together again when the time comes.
Mac
Thank you for expressing my own feelings!!
A wonderful tribute to the Flag and those whom have stood to defend it. Thanks
Thanks for the feedback. I am proud to stand and salute
Another Bravo Zulu, Mister Mac. I too salute each and every time I drive by (carefully, I assure you sir) the National Cemetery here in Wilmington, NC as well as everytime I walk up the gangway to the battlehsip North Carolina. True, she no longer flies the commissioning pennant and there is no quarterdeck watch, but my country’s flag flies proudly at the stern and I proudly salute each and every time I arrive or leave.
The North Carolina is one of my favorite Naval tributes. I will let you know next time we are down that way.
Reblogged this on Pacific Paratrooper and commented:
The sentiments spoken by a true American. May more of us follow Bob MacPherson’s example!!
Here, here! Me too!
Never forget what this flag is standing for. So many people don`t know or ignore it outside in the world.
The American flag is more than only a flag – she is standing for heart, brave, feeling and so much more.
Thank you for touching my heart in this great way!
You are welcome. Thanks for the feedback
Mister Mac
Thank you, Mister Mac.
Your postings are great. In Europe a lot people don`t understand the meaning of this great flag. So for me your post is a great possibility to tell them the meaning and the (historic) understanding.
Reblogged this on Home of the free and commented:
Willst du verstehen, wie ein Amerikaner zu seiner Flagge steht und welchen Wert sie für ihn hat, vor allem, wenn derjenige sich aus freien Stücken entschloss sein Herz und sein ganzes Sein seiner neuen Heimat anzuvertrauen?
Wer vergessen hat, wie es ist und sich anfühlt, sein Herz an eine Heimat zu verlieren, dem lege ich diesen Beitrag nahe!
Me too:
I will salute!
I will confess to having to use a German Translator device on the internet. Thanks for the feedback
Mister Mac
I hope the translator can help. In the moment my english is not perfect, so i can understand you.
So well done. Thank you, Mister Mac
Thanks for the feedback John
Mac
What a beautiful post. The tragic thing about those who don’t understand as you do: they never saw this flag as you did. The perversity of their blatant and shallow disrespect? The very things they *claim* they hate this incredible flag for are the very things this flag represents.
Thank you for giving of your own heart, your time, your life, to defend it all.
Thanks for the feedback.
Mac
50 years ago this month, July 1968 I did the same. My oath and salute has no expiration date.🇺🇸
Wish everyone felt that way about our flag. Even though I have never experienced it in the circumstances that you have, our flag always thrills me when I see it flying in the breeze. For me, it stands for freedom, which is something I treasure.
Beautiful!
Respect voor de vlag van je land ,ze bekent voor heel veelmenwen wel een echte waarden en als je ze ziet is eerbied vereist
Amen! Count me among those who respect the flag. I like to think that we hear about disrespect because it is mostly uncommon and makes the news.
Well said, indeed. Beautiful! And thank you so much for your service. God Bless you and God Bless America!
I commend you on an excellent post.
From Australia I salute you and your Flag.
Ian Felton
Ex Vietnam
My dear friend. Thank you for taking the time to respond to the post. I was just young enough to be in during the final days of the war and only spent a few short hours in Saigon before the fall. I have admired the Australian People for my entire life however. The courage your country exhibited in defying the Japanese invaders I the Pacific, the Communist incursions in both Korea and Vietnam and the support you have shown to freedom unites us as brothers forever. I count my time in Perth as one of my best memories as a Submariner.
Mister Mac
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my comment.
My comments were sincere, that is a remarkable post.
My kindest regards
Mac, if you ever get a chance, you might want to visit the reblog of this post – I’ve received a good number of comments on your work here!!
Thanks my friend. You have an awesome blog and I appreciate that you shared this post. It is obvious from the number of posts that I have been seeing that you are blessed with a very wide audience.
Mac
It sort of took off on its own. I’ve been very lucky with the readers I’ve acquired who talk not only to me, but to each other and enjoy contributing their own information.
I’ve enjoyed your site for quite a while now. Submariners are a special breed, Thank you for being one of them!
Well said.
Amen! I am going to reblog this one for you.
Reblogged this on Truth Troubles.
Sorry you feel the way you do. You can probably imagine that many people who think like me struggled through the last eight years as America was divided by identity politics and a government that piled regulation after regulation on top of poor businesses and communities. I used to feel such frustration as I watched community after community in the coal regions around me slowly being strangled to death. In the place of jobs, debilitating dugs filled those small communities and destroyed families. The war on coal killed whole regions and the absolutely insane adherence to the job killing “global climate” disaster was nothing more than a sham to fill democrat leaders pockets. Talk about a person unfit to be President? You have no room to even approach that table. And lies? Lets open the school records of Oblamo and show him for the forgery that he was. Lets reveal all of the horrible things he had the FBI and others do in the months before and after the election. I am just glad that all of the lies are starting to unravel. It is beautiful to see the light of day being shined on traitors. Nope, that bar has been lowered forever. As far as warriors, I know of none who actually fought for democracy. We fought under a flag that represents a constitutional Republic. Its even in the pledge. You can look it up. In my twenty plus years, I fought for the people who just wanted to live a life that free. Nothing Obama did was helping to make that happen. He will forever be a stain on the Republic.
Last thing. Do not even start to pretend to speak for the men and women who gave their lives for this country. You do not have the right and unless you are a psychic, you have grievously misjudged what I know in my heart was their intent. I was with them. Were you?