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Citadel News Service

For Release
Feb. 5, 2004

Flag ceremony marks its seventh year at The Citadel

          The General Westmoreland Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars and The Citadel will conduct the 7th annual Massing of the Colors ceremony at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 7 in The Citadel's Summerall Chapel.

          Retired Rear Adm. James H. Flatley III is the
keynote speaker. Flatley recently retired as chief executive officer of Patriot's Point Development Authority and Naval and Maritime Museum in Charleston.

          A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Flatley spent 31 years in the Navy. His sea duty assignments included tours of duty in Fighter Squadron 33 on USS Intrepid, Fighter Squadron 213 on USS Kitty Hawk, Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 31 on USS Saratoga, Commander of Attack Carrier Air Wing Seven on USS Independence, Commanding Officer of USS Caloosahatchee (AO-98), and Commanding Officer of USS Saratoga (CV-60). In addition, Rear Admiral Fladey also served as commander, Carrier Group Eight, commander, Carrier Battle Forces Second Fleet and commander, Task Force Sixty in the Mediterranean.

          He also has served ashore as executive assistant to the vice chief of Naval Operations, as commander of Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, as director, Strike and Amphibious Warfare, and as deputy director, Naval Warfare in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations.

          The Massing of the Colors ceremony pledges faith in the colors of the United States. It begins with a procession of flags some 40 people long. The patriotic service is dedicated to men and women who gave their lives to preserve liberty and honor in the United States and to those who have served and continue to serve to ensure freedom.

          The first Massing of the Colors ceremony was conducted in 1922 on Armistice Day at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City. Initiated by the Society of the Massing of the Colors, MOWW took over the direction of the ceremony in 1950.

          The Massing of the Colors ceremony at The Citadel is free and open to the public. Guests should be seated inside Summerall Chapel no later than 2:45 p.m.

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