Free Republic

Missouri, the 24th state in the Union, was admitted on this date in 1821. The 24-star flag, introduced on July 4, 1822, would remain the standard for the United States for 14 years, until the 25th star for Arkansas was added in 1836. During the time of this edition of the flag, the term "Old Glory" was first used by Captain William Driver, commander of the whaling vessel Charles Doggett.

The Badge of Military Merit, which would eventually become the Purple Heart, was established by General George Washington on August 7, 1782 and awarded to three Revolutionary War soldiers. It was not awarded again until after World War I and, having not been formally abolished, is the oldest military award still given in the United States.

On this date in 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb used in combat on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, causing possibly as many as 80,000 deaths, with thousands more later from radiation and other illnesses. While many still debate the morality of the use of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there is no doubt that, had the Japanese not surrendered following the dropping of the bombs, the Allied invasion of Japan, scheduled to begin on November 1, 1945, would have likely caused millions of casualties on both sides before Japan would have capitulated.

It was during the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864, when Admiral David Farragut ordered what would eventually be a successful run through a minefield and eventually lead to an important Union victory and the capture of Mobile Bay, the final Confederate-held port east of the Mississippi River. When Farragut, lashed to the rigging in order to see above the smoke of the battle, saw his ships slow as they approached and was told there were torpedoes (mines) in their path, he was reported to have said, "Damn the torpedoes! Go ahead!" or "Full speed ahead!" No one...

On August 4, 1790, the United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Alexander Hamilton, and eventually evolved into the United States Coast Guard. Today, we raise the current version of the Coast Guard Ensign in honor of all who serve.

On this date in 1958, the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, became the first naval vessel to reach the North Pole, having traveled under the icepack from the Barrow Sea across the North Pole and eventually surfacing north of Greenland. SSN-571 would be decommissioned in 1980, declared a National Historic Landmark in 1982, and is now a museum ship in Groton, Connecticut.

Colorado, the 38th state to join the Union, was admitted on August 1, 1876. It was the first state admitted following the country's centennial. The 38-star flag would be the country's standard for 13 years after its unveiling on July 4, 1877.

Today we celebrate the birthday of one of the leaders of the Sons Of Liberty, Marinus Willett. Willett participated and also led in many battles throughout the Revolutionary War, eventually becoming a New York state assemblyman, then sheriff and later mayor of New York City. We fly the Sons Of Liberty flag today in his honor.

On July 21, 1861, the First Battle of Bull Run (or First Manassas, as the Confederates referred to it) was fought outside of Washington D.C. in Virginia. Expecting the war to be a brief conflict to put down the rebellion, the Union Army instead was defeated at Bull Run and retreated in shambles to Washington. After the battle, both sides realized the Civil War would be a longer, bloodier conflict than most had previously expected.

Today marks one of the greatest milestones in human and American history when, on July 20, 1969, the lunar module of the Apollo 11 mission containing Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin landed sucessfully on the surface of the Moon. Armstrong and Aldrin would explore the lunar surface for a few hours the following day, and all three astronauts (including command capsule pilot Michael Collins) would return to Earth on July 24th.

July 18, 1792 is the date of John Paul Jones' death in France, following his service to the United States during the Revolutionary War (along with brief service to Russia afterward). During the Revolutionary War, he commanded Ranger in the defeat of HMS Drake, then later commanded Bonhomme Richard in the battle with HMS Serapis. Although Jones captured Serapis, the Richard sank following the battle, and Jones sailed the Serapis to Holland. To help Jones avoid charges of piracy, the "Serapis Flag" was entered into Dutch records as the flag he flew when he captured the ship, and it became...

On July 17, 1775, The Culpeper Minutemen were organized in Virginia during the Revolutionary War. The Minutemen, including John Marshall, future Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, participated in the battles of Hampton and Great Bridge late in 1775 before being disbanded in January 1776. They are remembered also for their distinctive company flag, which we raise in their honor today.

On July 16, 1862, David Farragut became the first man in American history to be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, in recognition of his actions in helping to capture New Orleans earlier in the year during the Civil War. He would later be promoted to vice admiral and then admiral prior to his death in 1870, the first man to hold those ranks in the Navy as well.

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in that grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." "If we stand idly by, if we seek merely swollen, slothful ease and ignoble peace, if we shrink from the hard contests where men must win at hazard of their lives and at the risk of all they hold dear, then the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by, and will win for themselves the...

The 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, was born on this date in 1913 in Nebraska, and was the first person to hold the office of President of the United States without receiving any electoral votes - he had been appointed to the Vice Presidency in December, 1973 following the resignation of Spiro Agnew, and assumed the Presidency in August, 1974 following Richard Nixon's resignation. An Eagle Scout and longtime congressman from Michigan, he was also the last surviving member of the Warren Commission, which investigated the assassination of President Kennedy. Today, we raise the Michigan state...

On July 12, 1862, President Lincoln signed into law a bill creating the Army Medal of Honor. Members of the other branches of the military became eligible to receive this medal in 1915, followed by the Air Force in 1956. While there are three different versions of the medal (Army, Navy and Air Force), the Medal of Honor remains the highest military award in the United States. In 2002, the Medal of Honor flag was authorized to be given to all recipients of the Medal, the first of which (according to Wikipedia) was Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith (posthumously)...

July 5th is the birthday of Admiral James Farragut, the first man to hold the ranks of rear admiral, vice admiral and admiral in the United States Navy. Farragut is notable particularly for his actions during the Civil War, including the capture of New Orleans in 1862. He continued to be on active duty until his death in 1870.

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation....

With the Delaware delegation deadlocked on the question of approving the Declaration of Independence in the Continental Congress, Caesar Rodney rode 70 miles in a thunderstorm the night of July 1, 1776 to arrive in Philadelphia as the vote for independence began the next morning. Rodney cast the deciding vote for Delaware in favor of independence, and would eventually sign the Declaration on August 2, 1776. Rodney's ride is depicted on the back of the Delaware quarter, issued in 1999.

One year ago today, 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hot Shots wildland fire crew died during the Yarnell Hill fire in central Arizona. We in Prescott will pause today to remember our fallen heroes.