Memorial Day Cookout: Honor the Fallen, Enjoy the Day
A Memorial Day cookout is not disrespectful. A cookout without a moment of silence at 3 PM is. Here is how to fly the flag right, set out...
Proud & Free
P&F Blog
Flag etiquette, the Flag Code in plain English, and honest answers about displaying and caring for an American flag. Written by a guy who has been raising one since he was seven.
Latest articles
Half-Staff Until Noon: The Memorial Day Flag Rule
On Memorial Day the American flag flies at half-staff from sunrise until noon, then gets raised to the very top for the rest of the day. The rule,...
The National Memorial Day Concert: When to Watch and Why
Every year on the Sunday before Memorial Day, the U.S. Capitol's west lawn turns into a candle-lit amphitheater. Here is what the National Memorial Day Concert is, when...
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: History and How to Visit
Polished black granite, 58,318 names, and a 21-year-old architecture student who got the design right. Here is the full story of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington,...
Patriot Guard Riders: Who They Are and Why They Ride
When the wrong people show up to a fallen hero's funeral, the Patriot Guard Riders ride between them and the family. Here is how they started in 2005,...
Why Is Memorial Day on the Last Monday of May?
Memorial Day was not always a three day weekend. For more than a century it fell on May 30 every year. Here is how Congress moved it, who...
Flags In: How Arlington Honors Every Grave for Memorial Day
On the Thursday before Memorial Day, the Old Guard quietly places more than 260,000 American flags at Arlington National Cemetery. One for every grave, one boot length forward,...
Rolling to Remember: The Memorial Day Ride That Honors POW/MIA
What Rolling to Remember actually is, why Rolling Thunder ended (and what kept rolling), and how to honor the Memorial Day weekend ride from anywhere in America.
The Battle Cross: What the Fallen Soldier Memorial Means
An upturned rifle. A helmet on top. A pair of combat boots in front. Dog tags hanging from the grip. The Battle Cross is one of the most...
The Three Volley Salute: Why It's Not a 21-Gun Salute
The three rifle volleys at a military funeral are not a 21-Gun Salute, even though twenty-one shots are fired. Here is what the Three Volley Salute actually is,...
The Murph Challenge: What It Is, Why It's Done on Memorial Day, and How to Do It
Every Memorial Day, over 300,000 people do a brutal workout called Murph to honor a fallen Navy SEAL. Here is who Lt. Michael Murphy was, what the workout...
How to Visit a National Cemetery on Memorial Day: Etiquette and What to Expect
There are 155 national cemeteries in the United States, and more than a million Americans will visit one this Memorial Day. Here is the practical guide. Where to...
Is It Okay to Say 'Happy Memorial Day'?
Every May, the same debate flares up. Is Happy Memorial Day disrespectful? Here is the honest answer, plus the better phrases to use on May 25 and the...
Why We Place Coins on Military Graves: What Each Coin Means
If you have walked through a national cemetery and seen coins resting on the headstones, none of them were left by accident. Penny, nickel, dime, quarter. Each one...
Blue Star vs Gold Star Family: What's the Difference?
A Blue Star banner means a loved one is serving. A gold star means a loved one was lost. Here is what each Service Banner means, where the...
The National Moment of Remembrance: Why We Pause at 3 PM on Memorial Day
Federal law asks every American to pause for one minute at 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day. Here is the story of the National Moment of Remembrance, why 3...
Honor Flight: What It Is and How It Honors Our Veterans
Honor Flight is the nonprofit that flies WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War veterans to DC, completely free, to see the memorials built for them. Here is what the...
The Missing Man Table: Meaning, History, and How to Set One Up
The Missing Man Table is set for one and stays empty all night. Here is what every piece of it means, where the tradition came from, and how...
The Battlefield Cross: History, Meaning, and the Story Behind the Boots, Rifle, and Helmet
The battlefield cross is one of the most recognizable American military memorials. Here is where it comes from, what each piece means, and how to honor it the...
Arlington National Cemetery: History and How to Visit
Arlington National Cemetery is 639 acres of white marble across the Potomac. Here is how it started, who rests there, what you will see when you visit, and...
The Flag-Draped Casket: Meaning, History, and Tradition
A flag-draped casket is one of the most powerful images in American life. Here is what the tradition means, where it came from, who qualifies, and the rules...
What Is Decoration Day? The Civil War Origins of Memorial Day
Memorial Day used to be called Decoration Day. Here is the full story: who started it, why May 30 was the original date, when the name changed, and...
The Iwo Jima Flag Raising: The Real Story Behind the Photo
February 23, 1945. Six men. One flag. An extinct volcano in the middle of the Pacific. The real story of the Iwo Jima flag raising photo, the men...
What Is a 21-Gun Salute? History, Meaning, and When It's Used
What people call a 21-gun salute at a military funeral is usually the three-volley rifle salute. Here is the difference, the history behind the number 21, and the...