The Origins of Flag Day

Flag Day traces its roots to June 14, 1777, when the Continental Congress adopted the resolution that “the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation”. However, the formal observance of Flag Day as a national holiday took more than a century to develop.

The modern Flag Day celebration began with the dedicated efforts of Bernard J. Cigrand, a 19-year-old schoolteacher in Waubeka, Wisconsin. On June 14, 1885, Cigrand placed a small American flag in an inkwell on his desk and asked his students to write essays about what the flag meant to them, referring to that day as the flag’s birthday. This simple classroom exercise would spark Cigrand’s lifelong campaign to establish a national Flag Day observance.

Cigrand’s advocacy efforts gained momentum throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s. He moved to Chicago to attend dental school and in 1886 published an article titled “The Fourteenth of June” in the Chicago Argus newspaper, publicly proposing an annual observance of the flag’s birth. His persistence paid off when President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation on May 30, 1916, establishing June 14 as Flag Day.

Wilson’s proclamation was particularly significant, as it called for Flag Day to be observed “with special patriotic exercises, at which means shall be taken to give significant expression to our thoughtful love of America, our comprehension of the great mission of liberty and justice to which we have devoted ourselves as a people”. The proclamation emphasized Flag Day as “a day of renewal and reminder” for American ideals and principles.

The U.S. Submarine Force Flag Day Connection

USS Nautilus (SSN 571) Christening January 1954

The most significant connection between Flag Day and the submarine force occurred on June 14, 1952, when President Harry S. Truman laid the keel of the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine. This ceremony at the Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Connecticut, was deliberately scheduled for Flag Day, marking what Truman called “one of the most significant developments of our time”.

In his Flag Day address at the keel-laying ceremony, Truman reflected on the dual significance of the occasion. He noted that June 14, 1777, marked the 175th anniversary of the flag’s adoption, while also celebrating the dawn of the nuclear age in naval warfare. Truman emphasized that the ceremony represented “not because we are starting a new ship for war, but because we are making a great advance in use of atomic energy for peace”.

The symbolism was profound: on the same date that commemorated America’s national banner, the nation was launching into a new era of maritime power that would fundamentally alter the strategic balance of the Cold War. Truman declared, “Today, we stand on the threshold of a new age of power”.

The Nautilus went on to make history, becoming the first vessel to reach the geographic North Pole on August 3, 1958, and establishing numerous speed and distance records during its 25-year career. The submarine’s achievements validated the revolutionary technology that was born on Flag Day 1952.

In Summary

Submarine operations, by their very nature, often occur far from public view, making the symbolic connection to the flag even more important. The submarine force’s motto of operating “Unseen and On Scene” emphasizes how submarines serve as silent guardians of American interests while carrying the flag into the world’s most remote and dangerous waters.

The intertwined history of Flag Day and the U.S. Submarine Force represents more than mere coincidence, it reflects the deep connection between American naval tradition and national identity. From the Revolutionary War submarine Turtle to the nuclear-powered vessels of today, submarines have served as extensions of American sovereignty and power projection capabilities.

The Flag Day keel-laying of the USS Nautilus in 1952 created a lasting bond between the national holiday and the submarine force, symbolizing how American technological innovation and naval tradition combine to protect and advance national interests. This connection continues to resonate in contemporary submarine force traditions, ceremonies, and observances that honor both the flag and those who have served beneath it in the silent service.

As the submarine force continues to evolve and modernize, the Flag Day connection serves as a reminder of the enduring values and principles that guide American naval service. The flag that was adopted on June 14, 1777, continues to fly over submarines that patrol the world’s oceans, carrying forward the legacy of those who came before and maintaining the proud traditions of the silent service.

Bowfin News | May 23, 2025

As a Navy veteran living in Hawai‘i, Memorial Day carries a profound significance for me—far beyond backyard barbecues or the unofficial start of summer. Here in the islands, reminders of sacrifice are everywhere, from the solemn USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor to the rows of headstones at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Each year, ceremonies at these sites and others bring together Gold Star families, veterans, and the community to honor those who gave their lives in service, making the meaning of this day deeply personal and ever-present.

Read Full Story HERE.

Celebrating Armed Forces Day from a submariner’s perspective is a meaningful recognition of the unique and often unseen contributions of the submarine force within the U.S. Armed Forces. Armed Forces Day, observed annually on the third Saturday in May, honors all active duty, Guard, and Reserve members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard who defend the nation’s freedoms at home and abroad.

From a submariner’s viewpoint, this day is a time to reflect on the silent, yet critical, role submarines play in national defense. Submariners operate in challenging, confined environments beneath the ocean surface, maintaining vigilance during long patrols that often involve routine maintenance, watchstanding, and continuous readiness for any mission. Life aboard a submarine is marked by a balance of intense operational focus and the need for camaraderie and morale-boosting activities during downtime.

Celebrations aboard submarines may include unique traditions such as the “Steel Beach Picnic,” where crew members enjoy a barbecue on the submarine’s deck when surfaced, weather and mission permitting. This event offers submariners a rare chance to relax in the sun, enjoy fresh air, and bond as a crew, often accompanied by a “beer day” after extended deployments and sometimes a swim call in open ocean waters. These moments highlight the tight-knit community and resilience of submariners who spend months away from home under demanding conditions.

Armed Forces Day also serves as a reminder of the rich history and heritage of the submarine service. The U.S. Navy’s first modern commissioned submarine, the USS Holland (SS-1), was acquired on April 11, 1900, marking the beginning of a proud tradition of underwater naval operations that continue to evolve today. Submariners honor this legacy by upholding the highest standards of professionalism, technical expertise, and dedication to mission success.

In essence, celebrating Armed Forces Day as a submariner means honoring the silent service’s vital role in safeguarding the nation, recognizing the sacrifices and commitment of fellow submariners, and sharing pride in a unique naval community that operates beneath the waves to protect freedom. It is a day to acknowledge the courage, skill, and perseverance required to serve in the submarine force and to express gratitude for the men and women who stand watch in the depths of the oceans.

Armed Forces Day 2025 – President Donald J. Trump

Vietnam Veterans of America, Oahu Chapter 858 and Commander U.S. Pacific Fleet will host The National Vietnam War Veterans Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), 2177 Puowaina Dr. Honolulu, Hawaii 96813.

Friday March 28, 2025 at 10:00am

R.S.V.P. by 23 March 2025
POC: John J. Beirne
808-221-2999

Registration begins at 9:00am

Schedule of Events

Master of Ceremony Thomas Stirling
Arrival of the Official Party
Oli
Posting of Colors: University of Hawaii ROTC
National Anthem: U. S. Pacific Fleet Band
Hawai’i State Anthem: U. S. Pacific Fleet Band
Invocation: Pacific Fleet Chaplain Capt. Darren L. Stennett
Pledge of Allegiance: JROTC
Introduction: Ms. Rona Adams President VVA Chapter 858
Tom Stirling: Recognition of Vietnam Veterans Gold Star Families 
Guest Speakers: Major General Steve Logan – U. S. Army Dept of Defense
Keynote Speaker: Admiral Samuel Paparo, INDOPACOM
Prayer of Rememberance: Pacific Fleet Chaplain Capt. Darren L. Stennett
Laying of Ceremonial Wreaths with assistance by JROTC Cadets
University of Hawaii Drill Team
Bagpipe Tribute: Mark Reed
Rifle Volley: Marine Corp Base Hawaii
Taps: U. S. Pacific Fleet Band
Conclusion of Ceremony

Military: Class B Uniform  
Civilian: Formal Aloha Attire

2025 National Vietnam Veterans Day Parade

Saturday March 29, 2025 at 6:00pm

On behalf of a grateful nation we Remember, we honor, and we salute all those who served. As Hawai’i was America’s gateway to those departing and returning from war, it is fitting that the National Vietnam Veterans Day Parade be held here. Hawaii’s hospitality will provide a warm and heating embrace to those who experienced the devastation of war many years ago. The Vietnam Veterans Day Parade is produced annually by Historic Programs and its partner organizations and is recognized as an official event of the United States Vietnam War Commemoration.

The National Vietnam Veterans Day Parade will unite Americans in a meaningful parade that honors our Vietnam Veterans and their families, and our active-duty military men and women and the thousands of Vietnamese community members here in Hawai’i and on the mainland. while educating and inspiring all who will travel to Hawaii to salute them. The official Ceremony and Parade will feature participants selected from across the nation.

Event Information

When: Saturday March 29, 2025 from 6:00 to 7:30pm
Where: Kalakaua Avenue to Kapi’olani Park in Waikiki
 
Shuttles will be running from around 3pm until 5pm from Kapiolani park, Parking area, to the event site. There will be a short program at 4:30pm at Fort Derussy (open area close to the Museum), this will run approximately 1 hour.

Bowfin SUBVET Pat Suenaga will be at the Aloha Gas station (2025 Kalākaua Ave) (on Kalakaua at the beginning of the route-right where Kalakaua and Kuhio Ave split) with his vehicle which can take 4 or 5 passengers for the parade route.

If you would like any other information please contact Mr. Earl Hurrey (event coordinator) email: earl@historicprograms.org Phone: ‭(808) 425-2908‬.

The Story of the Nautilus and the Nuns – New Years 1943
by Mister Mac

Eighty-two years ago this week, the submarine Nautilus shifted from her incredible role as a hunter killer to perform a mission of mercy. This is the story about the rescue of twenty nine refugees including four American nuns who became stranded behind Japanese enemy lines during World War II.

The Nautilus was originally named and designated V-6 (SF-9), but was redesignated and given hull classification symbol SC-2 on 11 February 1925. Her keel was laid on 10 May 1927 by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard of Vallejo, California. She was launched on 15 March 1930 sponsored by Miss Joan Keesling, and commissioned on 1 July 1930.

She was being refit in Mare Island during the Pearl Harbor attack but was ready by the time the Battle of Midway occurred. Her exploits included a daring raid on Makin Island landing a party of Marine Raiders. But this mission was certainly nothing the men had been prepared for.

The Nuns

Two of the Sisters were teachers, and two were nurses. They had arrived in the Solomon Islands in December 1940. These young women were new to missionary life, confronting an unknown culture for the first time, and did not speak the languages spoken on the various islands. Also, they had to learn how to get around the jungle. One year after they arrived, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

The Japanese quickly occupied many of the islands in the South Pacific. The nuns had been deeply involved in a village on the island of Buka. They had no idea that the Japanese wanted Buka for an airfield.

Sister Hedda Jager was the nun in charge of journaling their experiences. No matter what kind of day she was having, she always managed to record the day’s happenings.

As the Japanese get closer and closer, Sister Hedda records how their lives morphed from working as missionaries to being filled with sheer terror. They made it to Bougainville where they learned how other missionaries in the Solomons had been tortured and executed.There were Marist missionary priests on the island and, knowing what the fate of the nuns would be if captured, they managed to hide the Sisters for months in the jungle. On New Year’s Eve 1942, the priests managed to get the Sisters and 25 others to the beach in Teop Harbor. It was then they all learned that a submarine would be their means of rescue.

A Number of Ladies

The next day, and for several days thereafter, the United States submarine Nautilus patrolled the coast of Bougainville. Lieut. Comdr. William H. Brockman Jr. was looking for a fat target but received instead a message from Adm. Bull Halsey’s headquarters ordering him to proceed to Teop Bay on the northeast coast of Bougainville to evacuate some civilian personnel.

“How many women can you take care of?” Lieut. Phil Eckert, the communications officer, asked Ensign Davis, the commissary officer.

“Any number, Sir,” Ensign Davis said.

Davis, Eckert and Bill Brockman were in for a surprise. Waiting at a mountain village named Tsipatavai, or soon to arrive there, were 14 missionary nuns, four other women, three young girls, two priests, five planters and the Austrian manager of a plantation‐29 refugees. They had been rounded up by the missionary priest, Father Albert Lebel of Brunswick, Me., with the aid of Jack Read, the coast watcher on northern Bougainville. (Read’s laconic messages, “40 bombers heading yours,” were a legend in the South Pacific).

Bishop Thomas Wade had put Father Lebel in charge of evacuating the nuns after four missionaries were executed on Guadalcanal, and in November Father Lebel had set out to rescue two priests and three nuns whom the Japanese had under guard at a mission on the northern tip of Bougainville. He led a party of natives 30 miles through the jungle to Read’s station, then across the island to the mission, where they discovered that the sentries had taken the night off. Sister Claire and Sister Remy were unable to walk so natives carried them on cane chairs lashed to poles. Sister Henrietta followed on foot. They fled through the night, arriving at Tsipatavai the next day.

There they were joined by four middle‐aged Sisters of St. Joseph who had been on Buka since 1940—Sister Mary Isabelle Aubin of Newport, Vt.; Sister Mary Celestine Belanger of Lowell, Mass.; Sister Mary Heda Jaeger of Saskatchewan, and Sister Mary Irene Alton of Hunting- ton Beach, Calif. From Soveli, 90 miles to the south, Father Richard O’Sullivan brought four Maris? Sisters.

Read kept trying to arrange an evacuation but the answer was always the same: no planes or ships available. Finally he asked permission for Father Lebel to appeal directly to Halsey but they were still awaiting an answer on the day before Christmas when the Japanese raided Tinputz a few miles away. The three nuns there escaped to Tsipatavai. Father Allotte and Brother Gregor hid in the bush.

New Year’s Eve Party

Father Lebel interrupted midnight mass to say the refugees must run for the hills at once. With Sister Henrietta carrying a lantern they headed into the mountains, crossing great gorges, climbing all night. On Christmas Day word came that the Japanese had departed but they stayed in camp another night, singing carols under the stars.

It was Dec. 26 when Father Lebel got to send his message to Halsey: “Urgently request immediate evacuation of American women from Bougainville. Fear repetition of crimes on Guadalcanal. Teop and Tinputz harbors safe and convenient. Eternally gratefully.” For a touch of clout, he signed Bishop Wade’s name. Two days later Read received word that a submarine would probably be sent. On Dec. 31 he was advised it would “probably” come that night. From Tsipatavai the refugees started for Teop. They were to light signal fires on the beach at 10 P.M.

There was no sign of a submarine. Not at 10 o’clock, not at 11 that New Year’s Eve. Shortly after midnight, voices came faintly over the water. The launch from the Nautilus had capsized on the reef. She was righted and bailed, and the first load of 21 refugees was ferried to the Nautilus at 3 A.M.

On New Year’s Day 1943, in the early morning darkness, the submarine Nautilus pulled to within 100 feet of the beach and the terrified passengers were safely taken on board and brought to safety.

Sister Hedda wrote in her journal: “You cannot put into words the feeling that one has for those of one’s own country, especially when one is miles from home and running away from the Japanese.”

“Real sugar!” said Sister Hedda when she saw coffee and sandwiches prepared by Ensign Davis. “Real salt!” It was 4:41 when the launch returned with its second load, 5:37 when Nautilus submerged and crept out of the bay.

After months of taro and paupau, the passengers had a New Year’s Day dinner of soup, fried chicken and vegetables, including buttered asparagus, peach pie and fruit cake. The typewritten menu had a message: “Happy New Year to All Hands and Guests.”

That night when the sub came up for air, Bill Brockman received a message: “Congratulations, Nautilus. You were just ahead of the sheriff. Jap destroyer entered Teop harbor shortly after you left.”

There is more to the story which you can read HERE.