The Eighth Flag

Cannibals. Conquistadors. Buccaneers. Pirates. Visions of cartoon characters dancing around a cauldron with an explorer tied inside. Balboa gazing on the Pacific Ocean. De Leon and the fountain of youth. Pizarro conquering the Incas. Henry Morgan, in red, drinking spiced rum. Smoke curling around Blackbeard as his cutlass slashes through the air. ... all children's tales that mean nothing. Today, we do not know who any of these people were, how they came to do what they did, or why they did it. The struggle for power, freedom, and wealth that shaped the Caribbean for two and a half centuries has, since John Barrie created Peter Pan, been relegated to the same literary section as Barney the Dinosaur; yet, underneath the soil of the modern world, the roots are still there. I started pulling them up on St. Croix, and the roots led to more roots, and more. Islands connected, nations connected, and legends came to life. Officially, St. Croix has flown seven flags over the last 500 years. Before the American flag and the Danebrog, the Spanish came for gold, the Dutch to trade, the English to raid, and the Knights of St. John to be in charge. The French built a colony only to watch it die of fever. During all of those years, Pirates, Conquistadors, Freebooters, Filibustiers, Corsairs, Buccaneers -whatever you call them- ruled the Caribbean and called St. Croix home, stealing at sea whether they had 'permission' to do so or not, and paying no attention at all to whatever European flag was flying. It is time to recognize our eighth flag. It was black. This is the untold story of St. Croix and a Caribbean long forgotten. Come. Sail with me.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This is the true story behind the immortal photograph that has come to symbolize the courage and indomitable will of America In this unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American military history, James Bradley has captured the glory, the triumph, the heartbreak, and the legacy of the six men who raised the flag at Iwo Jima. Here is the true story behind the immortal photograph that has come to symbolize the courage and indomitable will of America. In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima—and into history. Through a hail of machine-gun and mortar fire that left the beaches strewn with comrades, they battled to the island's highest peak. And after climbing through a landscape of hell itself, they raised a flag. Now the son of one of the flagraisers has written a powerful account of six very different young men who came together in a moment that will live forever. To his family, John Bradley never spoke of the photograph or the war. But after his death at age seventy, his family discovered closed boxes of letters and photos. In Flags of Our Fathers, James Bradley draws on those documents to retrace the lives of his father and the men of Easy Company. Following these men's paths to Iwo Jima, James Bradley has written a classic story of the heroic battle for the Pacific's most crucial island—an island riddled with Japanese tunnels and 22,000 fanatic defenders who would fight to the last man. But perhaps the most interesting part of the story is what happened after the victory. The men in the photo—three were killed during the battle—were proclaimed heroes and flown home, to become reluctant symbols. For two of them, the adulation was shattering. Only James Bradley's father truly survived, displaying no copy of the famous photograph in his home, telling his son only: “The real heroes of Iwo Jima were the guys who didn't come back. ” Few books ever have captured the complexity and furor of war and its aftermath as well as Flags of Our Fathers. A penetrating, epic look at a generation at war, this is history told with keen insight, enormous honesty, and the passion of a son paying homage to his father. It is the story of the difference between truth and myth, the meaning of being a hero, and the essence of the human experience of war.

An essential part of German propaganda was the raising of non-German volunteer contingents, variously named as 'Legions' and 'Free Corps'. These units were from their outset mere token forces, comparatively insignificant in numbers and maintained chiefly for their propaganda value. However, as the tide of battle turned relentlessly against the Germans, the appeal for volunteers became ever more desperate. In this second of three volumes examining the flags of the Third Reich [see Men-at-Arms 270 and 278] Brian L. Davis examines the flags of the Waffen-SS: those of Walloon, Flanders, Norway, Finland, Danzig, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Croatia, France, Spain and India. Men-at-Arms 270, 274 and 278 are also available in a single volume special edition as 'Flags of the Third Reich'.

Did you know that flags are actually pictures that send a message to everyone who sees them? In The Flag Book you'll uncover the hidden meanings of flags- from country and state colours to flags used in sports, on ships and aeroplanes, and by the most dastardly of Caribbean pirates.

Praise and Worship with Flags reveals the power of using worship flags under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Delores Hillsman Harris has been using worship flags for years, and first became aware of the Holy Spirit watching over her as she used them during a service in 2003. With a streamer in hand, she felt His power—and she remains a flag bearer and member of her church’s dance ministry. The author points the reader to the flags’ biblical truths, which have been understated, and takes you on a journey to discover these truths with Scripture. As you read, you’ll find out why to use flags and how to use them with power—as well as how to use them while worshipping at home. You will feel the power of the Holy Spirit and discover the power of God when he combines with color, prayer, and love. Discover the meaning, significance, and benefits of using worship flags and join the author as she celebrates the power of the Holy Spirit.

As the regimental surgeon for the Eighth Cavalry during the American Civil War, Dr. Abner Hard saw it all. His troops were at Manassas, Gettysburg, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Boonesboro, Brandy Station, Fredericksburg, and more. When the bullets stopped, Dr. Hard took upon himself the task of documenting the privations, sorrows, and bravery of the fighting men of the Eighth during their long years of war. With detail, humor, and insight, he covered the ground well in the 1868 publication about the boys in blue that he knew. Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers, tablets, and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.