Artifact Friday: Folded Flag

If you’ve ever seen a folded United States flag on someone’s mantle or anywhere else in their home, you likely already know that they had someone dear to them pass away after serving in the military. However, there is more to the folded flag than just a token of gratitude for someone’s service.

Each of the thirteen folds in the flag carries its own meaning. The first fold represents life. Second comes the belief in eternal life. Whether it is through memories or an afterlife, people continue to live on. The third fold is for the portion of the veteran’s life they gave in service of the United States military. Number four is for the trust had, as citizens, in a higher power. The fifth fold echoes the words of Stephen Decatur, a decorated naval officer, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”

The sixth fold represents our hearts. It is in our hearts that we pledge allegiance to that very flag, and where we hold the principles of our nation. The seventh fold is for the armed forces of the United States in their entirety, a thank you to the veteran for being part of something so vital to our nation. For the eighth fold, it is the veteran’s willingness to face the enemies of the nation and meet them with the same or greater tenacity that they would threaten us with, no matter how dire the circumstances. The ninth fold stands for the women of the United States. It is the love of mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters that drives extraordinary men to do extraordinary things. Furthermore, in recent years, it is the service of those same women that the ninth fold honors.

The tenth fold is for the fathers. It is the fathers, whether they are still with us or not, who have given their sons and daughters for the defense of liberty. Fold eleven is for the seals of King David and King Solomon of the Hebrew faith. As the previous fold is for the Hebrew faith, the twelfth fold is for those of Christianity and represents the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The thirteenth and final fold completes the folded flag by encasing it in a sea of blue with white stars to represent the heavens, cradling all meanings of life within.

Learn More Here: https://nationalflagfoundation.org/the-meaning-behind-the-13-folds-of-the-united-states-flag/