Why Annin Flagmakers is the home of the Star-Spangled Banner
In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, we visited one of America’s oldest flag makers, Annin Flag Makers in South Boston, Virginia.
Every year on Flag Day, America commemorates the adoption of the American flag and celebrates what it stands for, and it’s celebrated every day at Walt Disney World.
Barring inclement weather, every day at 5 p.m., Magic Kingdom’s Honor Guard retrieves the flag waving over Main Street, USA, in a ceremonial ceremony to prevent guests from marching.
The Flag Retreat follows the formal end-of-day flag lowerings held at U.S. military bases around the world, but with added Disney touches such as Barbershop’s Dapper Dans Quartet, Main Street Philharmonic Band, and recognizing guests who have served in the military.
Some guests, who are accustomed to ceremonies, actively participate in the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the national anthem. Even though it’s been a staple at the resort since it opened, some people are surprised when they see it for the first time. The Disneyland tradition is even older, but done differently.
Here’s what guests need to know about Flag Retreat at Disney World.
unexpected honor
Each day, a different U.S. military member or veteran is invited to the flag retreat to represent that day’s military. Typically, Cast Members identify unsuspecting military members or veterans among park guests during the day, but on Veterans Day, a representative is chosen from among Cast Members who have served in the military.
Steven Jesselinck, a Navy veteran and police officer from West Monroe, Louisiana, was surprised when he was selected for a family trip in late May. As his loved ones and other guests looked on, he stood front and center on the flagpole as the flag was lowered, folded and presented to him.
“It felt like going back in time a little bit,” he said. “It just gives you pride.”
The experience reminded him of registering for the military in “the heart of 9/11,” returning to base, and passing through the Atlanta airport on his way home from deployment. “An elderly person in a wheelchair physically stood up just to hug me and welcome me home and thank me for my service. And it melted my heart,” he recalled.
“We’re not looking for appreciation. We’re not looking for anything like that. But we know there are a lot of people who care about what we do, and they care a lot,” Jesselinck said. “Disney welcomes millions of guests from all over the world each year, so it’s great to see veterans recognized at retirement ceremonies.”
George Denby was recognized at a previous Flag Retreat. He retired from the Air Force, went on to work for the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs, and currently manages the Orlando Fisher House. The Orlando Fisher House provides free lodging for military and veteran families while their loved ones receive treatment at the Orlando VA Medical Center.
“Words can’t describe how amazing it felt,” he recalls. “It just so happened that my two oldest grandsons were visiting from New Mexico. Their father is also a retired Air Force member, and he just retired last year. They’re military children, so to be able to do that and have it displayed in front of them was a big deal for me.”
Denby joked that he had earned several honors during his 20 years in the military, but said with a laugh, “Nothing like that. I’ve never been in a parade or walked down Main Street myself.”
welcome back
Military representatives of the day are recognized both during and after the retreat of the flag. They then carry the folded flag alongside a guard of honor onto Main Street and turn onto a side street in a silhouette cart where they return the flag. Guests and cast members will also line up to personally thank and shake hands with military personnel and veterans.
“They really make it feel like it’s a really big deal, and it was,” Denby said.
Eileen Underwood leads the Magic Kingdom security team that conducts the Flag Retreat. She was also an Army veteran and her father, husband and sons were also veterans. She tries to get as many flags back as possible and says she’ll never forget the reaction of one Vietnam veteran who was honored.
“A customer there yelled at this guy, ‘Welcome home,’ and he completely lost it,” she recalled. She said the veteran told her, “‘No one has ever said that to me except my family. Welcome home.'” Those two words he had always wanted to hear… they were really, really special. ”
Disney can’t identify every military member or veteran they visit, but they want everyone to know, “We appreciate you. We value you. You mean so much to us.”
In addition to the flag evacuation ceremony, Disney is offering discounts on park tickets to active U.S. military and veterans. Military personnel, veterans and others, including former prisoners of war and veterans with service-related disabilities, are also eligible to stay at the Department of Defense’s Shades of Green Resort on Disney World property for a fee.
long history
“Celebrating those who serve is a core value at Disney, dating back to our founders’ service to our country,” said Cappy Schlett, a Navy veteran and senior manager of public affairs for the Disney Experience.
All three of Walt Disney’s brothers served in the military during World War I, including Roy Disney, who served in the Navy and became Walt’s business partner. Walt was too young to enlist in the military himself during the war, but he still lied about his age and enlisted in the Red Cross Ambulance Corps in order to qualify for military service.
“Salute to that service begins with admiration and has continued for more than 100 years at the Walt Disney Company,” Schlett said.
Not even park closures due to the pandemic will get in the way.
“We decided to leave every morning when the park was completely empty and the only sound was the birds. Our entire team went to the flag every day, hoisted the flag, and took it down at night, which is exactly what we did before coronavirus,” Underwood said.
“It was a time of great uncertainty,” she added. “For those brief moments of ups and downs, it gave me hope and determination that no matter what happens, we will all come together and get through this.”
Denby said he hopes Disney continues the tradition forever.
