news for Flag Day 2012 : Celebration , .....Differently each country

NORTH STONINGTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Commander, Submarine Group 2 spoke at a Flag Day celebration at Wheeler Middle School in North Stonington, Conn., June 14.

Nearly 100 Wheeler Middle School middle school students, faculty and community members attended the celebration to pay tribute to Flag Day.

"Flag Day is about who we are as Americans, a symbol of our country," said Rear Adm. Rick Breckenridge, commander, Submarine Group 2. "This day lets us take a moment to reflect on what it is to be good New Englanders, good American patriots. In each generation the men and women have stood up and answered the call to defend our flag."

During his speech, Breckenridge shared a story of how Francis Scott Key, an attorney, negotiated the exchange of prisoners while aboard a British troopship. Key witnessed the American flag being fired upon while it was flying gallantly over Fort McHenry.

"During the final battle even though every gun was drawn and fired on the flag, it still stood. The guns raged throughout the night and, as Key later described, the rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there," said Breckenridge.

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=67823