Bob Heft Died

[Pronam]

The designer of the current flag of the United States has passed away. Bob Heft was 17 years old when he designed the famous Stars and Stripes with fifty stars. His history-teacher at high school gave an assignment to design a new flag, as Hawaii and Alaska were soon going to be admitted into the union.

 

He chose for a design that looked like the old 48star flag, one for each state in the union, but instead of six rows with eight stars he choose five rows with six start and four rows with five..making the total of 50 stars.

 

With the sewing machine of his mother, an old flag with 48 stars and 2,87 dollar of extra tissue he sow the design together.

 

His mother didn't help, as she was afraid to desecrate the flag with it. Heft was busy for over more than twelve hours, primarily because of the hundred stars for both sides of the flag. Heft got a B from the teacher as 'It wasn't original, everyone could have thought upon that!'

 

Disagreeing with the grade given by his teacher, he sends the design towards a local Congressmen to hear his judgment. Two years passed before he got a phone call from President Eisenhower to tell him that his design was chosen for the new flag. He told: "Would you like to come to Washington to see it being risen?"

 

The president received hundreds of designs for a new flag. Actually more people had the same idea as Haft. None did actually took the effort to create one, sew one. That's why Heft got the honor.

 

The moment he got back from Washington, Heft searched for his teacher if he still thought it was worth a B. The teacher: "Well, if it's good enough for the Congress, the it's good enough for me." He got his A.

 

From the 28 officially recognized flags, is Hefts design the one that has been used for the longest time. 49 years already. Two years ago it broke the official record of the 48-stars-flag, which has been used for 47 years.

 

Heft himself hoped to get another record. Shortly after his first flag, he designed a flag with 51 stars. Secretly he hoped to be the first American to have made two national flags. The design has been delivered to congress, just in case!

 

The original flag where it all began with does still exist. The flag has met the wind in all states, above the White House during five presidents and above 131 American embassies worldwide. A small part has been damaged, reminding of the attack on the embassy at Saigon as it has been there as well.

 

Bob Heft died at the age of 67.

 

Ow man, could a moderator change the 'no' into 'know'? lol...

Well, I found it nice to read..I wonder how many people know about it.

[dezdimona]

thank you for posting this.

[Illiad86]

Wow :) Thank you for posting this, I remember hearing about this man in high school

[rbrophy2]

Wow :biggrin: :thanks:

[jaosals42]

Ow man, could a moderator change the 'no' into 'know'?

 

Notifying them.

[antonkr]

what i find interesting about America is that because it's history is not that big they get more people in history books then other countries.