The patriotic song "America the Beautiful" was originally a poem written by
Katharine Lee Bates and was published in the Fourth of July edition of the
church periodical The Congregationalist in 1895. At that time, the poem
was titled America for publication.

Church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward had originally written the
music, Materna, for the hymn O Mother dear, Jerusalem in 1882, though it
was not first published until 1892. Ward’s music combined with the Bates
poem was first published in 1910 and titled America the Beautiful.

From time to time it has been proposed as a replacement for The Star-
Spangled Banner as the national anthem.

Katharine Lee Bates

Samuel A. Ward

From THE DICK CAVETT SHOW. September 18, 1972.

George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878 – November 5, 1942)

George M. Cohan was a playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer,
dancer and producer. He began his career as a child, performing with
his parents and sister in a vaudeville act known as "The Four Cohans.

He is considered the father of American musical comedy. His life and
music were depicted in the Academy Award–winning film Yankee Doodle
Dandy (1942) and the 1968 musical George M!. A statue of Cohan in
Times Square in New York City commemorates his contributions to
American musical theatre.

Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the U.S. Flag by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. Philadelphia observed the first Flag Day in 1893.

President Reagan presenting Congressional Medal of Honor to the 
Vietnam Unknown Soldier during the 1984 Memorial Day ceremony
at Arlington cemetery in Virginia.