# 3549//50A - 2001-02 United We Stand, collection of 4 stamps
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9/11 Terrorist Attacks And The Fate Of The Ground Zero Flag
One of the most enduring images of the day was captured by photographer Thomas E. Franklin, and is pictured on the U.S. semipostal stamp, #B2.
By 5 p.m., police, firefighters, and emergency workers had spent much of the day tirelessly searching for survivors. A group of firemen then noticed a U.S. flag waving atop a nearby yacht. Seeing it as a symbol of hope for the brave workers, the three men removed the flag and its pole and raised it at Ground Zero, in the center of the relief efforts. Franklin knew he was witnessing something special and immediately snapped the photo that went on to grace millions of newspapers and collectibles. It’s often compared to the flag raising at Iwo Jima.
Later in 2002, the owners of the yacht from which the flag was taken wanted to donate it to the Smithsonian. However, when they received the flag, they discovered it was much larger than the one that flew above their yacht. And the firefighters agreed it wasn’t the same flag they had raised on September 11.
For years, many were uncertain where the Ground Zero flag was. Some believe it could have been stolen, simply misplaced, or used to cover a fallen first responder. But the flag’s owners, among others, continued to search for this historic flag that became a symbol of hope for Americans on one of the darkest days in our history.
The flag was then given to a forensic scientist who ran a series of tests, paying particular attention to the dust particles. He found that the flag had the same particles as found at Ground Zero. It also had a piece of black electrical tape holding two stripes together, as the Ground Zero flag had. He tested and re-tested the flag for six months before ultimately confirming it was in fact the Ground Zero flag.
The flag is now at the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City and is being unveiled for the first time this weekend to mark the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
The Heroes of 2001 Semi-postal stamp raised funds to assist the families of emergency relief personnel killed or permanently disabled in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The image is based on a photo taken by photographer Thomas Franklin of three weary firefighters raising a flag over the rubble that had been the World Trade Center.
This stamp sold for 45¢, 11¢ above the one-ounce first-class postage rate. The additional proceeds went to a fund, managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to provide assistance to the families. By March 2004, sales of the stamp had raised $10.5 million for the recipients.
Click here for more United We Stand stamps and coins and here for more 9/11 stamps.
Get the Complete “United We Stand” Stamp Set
9/11 Terrorist Attacks And The Fate Of The Ground Zero Flag
One of the most enduring images of the day was captured by photographer Thomas E. Franklin, and is pictured on the U.S. semipostal stamp, #B2.
By 5 p.m., police, firefighters, and emergency workers had spent much of the day tirelessly searching for survivors. A group of firemen then noticed a U.S. flag waving atop a nearby yacht. Seeing it as a symbol of hope for the brave workers, the three men removed the flag and its pole and raised it at Ground Zero, in the center of the relief efforts. Franklin knew he was witnessing something special and immediately snapped the photo that went on to grace millions of newspapers and collectibles. It’s often compared to the flag raising at Iwo Jima.
Later in 2002, the owners of the yacht from which the flag was taken wanted to donate it to the Smithsonian. However, when they received the flag, they discovered it was much larger than the one that flew above their yacht. And the firefighters agreed it wasn’t the same flag they had raised on September 11.
For years, many were uncertain where the Ground Zero flag was. Some believe it could have been stolen, simply misplaced, or used to cover a fallen first responder. But the flag’s owners, among others, continued to search for this historic flag that became a symbol of hope for Americans on one of the darkest days in our history.
The flag was then given to a forensic scientist who ran a series of tests, paying particular attention to the dust particles. He found that the flag had the same particles as found at Ground Zero. It also had a piece of black electrical tape holding two stripes together, as the Ground Zero flag had. He tested and re-tested the flag for six months before ultimately confirming it was in fact the Ground Zero flag.
The flag is now at the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City and is being unveiled for the first time this weekend to mark the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
The Heroes of 2001 Semi-postal stamp raised funds to assist the families of emergency relief personnel killed or permanently disabled in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The image is based on a photo taken by photographer Thomas Franklin of three weary firefighters raising a flag over the rubble that had been the World Trade Center.
This stamp sold for 45¢, 11¢ above the one-ounce first-class postage rate. The additional proceeds went to a fund, managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to provide assistance to the families. By March 2004, sales of the stamp had raised $10.5 million for the recipients.
Click here for more United We Stand stamps and coins and here for more 9/11 stamps.