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BALTIMORE - “At this time the morning gun was fired, the flag hoisted, and Yankee Doodle played.” – Pvt. Isaac Munroe, Baltimore Fencibles, 1814.
As it was 200 years ago at Fort McHenry National Monument after a 25-hour bombardment by the Royal Navy during the war of 1812, so to was it at the exact time, date and place Sept, 14, 2014, at 9 a.m. during a celebration of the Star-Spangled Banner in Baltimore.
The fort was at maximum capacity during the 200-year anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner, with local Baltimore community Members, U.S. service members, and coalition partners from Canada and the United Kingdom for the Dawn’s Early Light Ceremony.
The service members arrived in Baltimore Harbor Sept. 10 to participate in “Star-Spangled Spectacular,” a week-long celebration commemorating the anniversary.
On the morning of Sept. 14, 1814, at 9 a.m. the bombardment had ended about an hour prior and the battle was over.
“A young nation slightly over 30 years old against every predicament the country would fail, out of nowhere came a miraculous victory,” said Vince Vaise, a national park service ranger at Fort McHenry.
From far off aboard a Royal Navy ship, Francis Scott Key watched as, in a special act of defiance, the 17x25 foot flag flown the night prior was replaced by a larger 30x42 foot American flag, which could be seen by thousands of Baltimore citizens. That historic moment and symbol of perseverance inspired Key to write the “Star-Spangled Banner,” our nation’s national anthem.
200 years later, thousands gathered to watch as a replica of the original flag is flown once again, an event that takes place only once every 100 years.
“This is a special moment,” said Vaise. “We will never see this moment again in our life time.”
During the week leading up to the flag raising, more than 100 Marines from various units based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, supported Star-Spangled Spectacular by taking part in multiple ceremonies and events.
Marines from 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 arrived in Baltimore aboard the USS Oak Hill and participated in a 9/11 ceremony, assisted in the restoration of the USS Constellation, helped renovate local historical sites, provided static displays of military equipment, and took part in the flag raising ceremony.
“This is my home town and this hits home,” said Cpl. Petros Filidis, a heavy equipment mechanic with 1st Bn., 10th Marines, and a native of Baltimore. “Just being an active duty Marine out here in my home town and seeing all this, it touches me.”
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.15.2014 11:55 |
| Story ID: | 142181 |
| Location: | BALTIMORE, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 60 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Flags flown in honor of national anthem, by SSgt S.T. Stewart, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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