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© St. Petersburg Times, published June 5, 2002
SAN ANTONIO -- The patriotic little community of San Antonio -- a city that plays a recording of Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA at every City Commission meeting -- is planning a public Flag Day ceremony June 14 at City Hall.
City Clerk Barbara Sessa said area elected officials are invited along with local Boy and Girl Scouts and the public for a 9 a.m. ceremony, led by Veterans of Foreign Wars All American Commander John G. Heufel Jr. of VFW Post 4283.
The post also will provide the color guard.
Ashlee Shireman has been invited to sing America the Beautiful and Charlotte Lynn will join with Shireman for a reading of the poem That Ragged Old Flag.
In light of the country's newfound patriotism following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Sessa said, the city is expecting a large crowd for the event.
According to the National Flag Day Foundation, the U.S. flag was adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777, and Flag Day was first celebrated in 1877.
In 1949, President Harry Truman signed the bill officially recognizing June 14 as Flag Day.