The Story of the 9/11 Ground Zero American Flag
On one of the darkest days in U.S. history, the unforgettable image of three firefighters hoisting an American flag amid the ruins of the World Trade Center became a symbol of hope, solidarity, and resilience.
Amidst the chaos at Ground Zero, firefighter Daniel McWilliams noticed an American flag on the Star of America, a 130-foot yacht moored nearby, owned by Shirley Dreifus and her late husband Spiros E. Kopelakis.
Acting on his thoughts, McWilliams used a K12 saw to cut the yardarm off the stern of the ship, rolled the 3-foot by 5-foot flag up so it would not touch the ground, and headed back to Ground Zero. Along the way, he enlisted the help of fellow firefighters William Eisengrein and George Johnson.
Among the rubble, the men found a flagpole sitting about 20 feet off the ground. They used black electrical tape to bind two lengths of rope, built a make-shift ramp, and climbed to the top to raise the flag.
“Every pair of eyes that saw that flag got a little brighter”
Standing about 150 yards away was Thomas Franklin, a New Jersey newspaper photographer. He saw the firefighters’ actions, raised his camera and captured what is now an iconic moment in history; the American flag proudly flying despite attempts to destroy everything it represents.
Amidst the chaos at Ground Zero, firefighter Daniel McWilliams noticed an American flag on the Star of America, a 130-foot yacht moored nearby, owned by Shirley Dreifus and her late husband Spiros E. Kopelakis.
Acting on his thoughts, McWilliams used a K12 saw to cut the yardarm off the stern of the ship, rolled the 3-foot by 5-foot flag up so it would not touch the ground, and headed back to Ground Zero. Along the way, he enlisted the help of fellow firefighters William Eisengrein and George Johnson.
Among the rubble, the men found a flagpole sitting about 20 feet off the ground. They used black electrical tape to bind two lengths of rope, built a make-shift ramp, and climbed to the top to raise the flag.
“Every pair of eyes that saw that flag got a little brighter”
Standing about 150 yards away was Thomas Franklin, a New Jersey newspaper photographer. He saw the firefighters’ actions, raised his camera and captured what is now an iconic moment in history; the American flag proudly flying despite attempts to destroy everything it represents.
After seeing the photo and learning the story, an Eder Flag sales representative recalled that Eder had shipped flags to the owners of the yacht. The Ground Zero flag was traced back to Eder Flag, and was manufactured right here in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.
After forensic authentication, the historic flag was donated to the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City where it will remain on display. This special flag and its story are seen by millions of annual visitors to the museum.
“In the darkest hours of 9/11 when our country was at risk of losing all hope, the raising of this American flag by our first responders helped reaffirm that the nation would endure, would recover and rebuild, that we would always remember and honor all of those who lost their lives and risk their own to save others.”
- 9/11 Memorial President Joe Daniels