Fact vs. Myth
Myths & Misconceptions
Myth: If the flag touches the ground, it has to be destroyed.
Truth: It's disrespectful and worth avoiding, but an accidental touch doesn't call for destruction. Pick it up right away, clean it if needed, and carry on. Retirement is for flags that are genuinely worn out, not for one accidental slip.
Myth: Wearing the flag on clothing is illegal.
Truth: It isn't. The American Legion has said there's no breach of etiquette in wearing flag-printed clothing, so long as it isn't made from an actual flag.
Myth: The flag has to come down at night.
Truth: It's fine to fly around the clock, as long as it's properly illuminated after dark.
Myth: You're not supposed to wash the flag.
Truth: Nothing in the Flag Code says it can't be cleaned — it's just a matter of doing it the right way for the fabric. See our Flag Care page for the specifics.
Myth: Fringe on a flag signals military status or martial law.
Truth: The fringe is purely decorative. Some military branches use it by tradition (Army, Air Force, Space Force), others don't (Navy, Marines, Coast Guard) — it likely started as a way to keep dust and soot off flags displayed indoors.
Myth: Other flags flown next to the U.S. flag have to sit slightly lower.
Truth: As long as the U.S. flag is in the position of honor, other flags of equal size, on separate staffs of the same height, can fly at the same height. The one exception is flags of other nations — international custom says no nation's flag should fly above another's.
Myth: The traditional 13-fold meanings have to be recited every time the flag is folded.
Truth: That tradition isn't part of the official Flag Code and was never codified by Congress or the military — families and groups can choose to include it, or not. More on this on our Flag Folding page.
Myth: The flag stays at half-staff all day on Memorial Day.
Truth: It's flown at half-staff only until noon, then raised to full staff for the rest of the day. Full details on our Half-Staff Guide page.
Myth: Breaking flag etiquette carries a legal penalty.
Truth: The Flag Code is a guide to respect and etiquette, not enforceable law — private citizens don't face legal consequences for displaying, folding, or wearing the flag "incorrectly."
Disputed Myth: Betsy Ross designed the first American flag.
Truth: Betsy Ross was a real, skilled Philadelphia upholsterer, and the story that she sewed the first American flag at George Washington's request has been told for generations. But there's little solid evidence from her own lifetime to confirm it — the story wasn't publicly told until her grandson recounted it nearly a century later. Some historians instead credit Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, with the flag's design. Either way, it's a good reminder of how easily a skilled woman's documented work gets overshadowed by a tidier legend — Ross ran a successful upholstery business and is known to have made flags, even if we can't say for certain she made the very first one.
Quick Reference
- An accidental ground touch doesn't require destroying the flag.
- Flag-printed clothing isn't illegal or disrespectful.
- Fringe is decorative, not a sign of martial law.
- The 13-fold meanings are tradition, not required recitation.
- Memorial Day half-staff ends at noon, not sunset.
- The Flag Code is etiquette, not enforceable law.