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Thursday, September 1, 2011

ICV 24 - International Congress of Vexillology, Day 1 - 1st Presentation by Dale Grimes Jr. USA

Day 1 - Speaker #1
USA - Maryland

Last month the 24th International Congress of Vexillology was held at the George Washington Masonic Memorial. On the first day, August 1 there were eight lectures.

The first speaker was Dale Grimes, Jr. who primary occupation is teaching math. His presentation was entitled Two Famous American Flags.

Grimes selected two flags from American history that are perhaps the most well remembered. One was flown during the War of 1812 and the other during WWII.

The first flag of national fame was the 15 stars and 15 striped Star Spangled Banner which flew over Ft. McHenry when the British Invaded Maryland and Washington DC. This story associated with this flag lead to the creation of National Anthem. He also detailed the overlooked battle of North Point that took place on September 12, 1814.

Grimes holding up a 48 stared US Navy Flag

The second flag of conspicuous fame was the flown over Iwo Jima during the Pacific Campaign of WWII. This flag has 13 stripes and 48 stars. It was raised while the fighting raged on February 23, 1945. The photo of this flag raising had become a lasting icon of this conflict.

Grimes also introduced the Grimes' Remnant Indicator Formula - R.I.F.

X/Y

X= A flag's current dimensions (hoist length x fly length)
Y= A flags original dimensions (hoist length x fly length)

Grimes' notes on the
flag makers shorthand

Grimes also noted that many flags from WWII were made on Mayer Island, which was also the 1st Pacific Naval Base for the United States. During the WWII, Mayer Island had over 46,000 employees. If you ever see a letters 'MI' printed along hoist edge it most likely referring to Mayer Island in California and not Michigan.

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