deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

The Virgin Islands of The United States. They are an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States. They are part of the Virgin Islands Archipelago located approximately 40 miles east of Puerto Rico. There are three main islands: St. Croix; St. John and St. Thomas.

The islands were previously known as the ‘Dutch West indies’. These islands were inhabited by the Ciboney people as early as 1000 BC. The Aawaks people came next and finally the Carib round 1500 AD.

Going along with Randy Newman’s song, ‘The Great nations of Europe coming through’, At one time or another Spain, France, Britain and the Netherlands all laid ‘claim’ to these islands.

In the early 1900s the US became interested in this strategic area of the Atlantic. By the Second World War the US was concerned that if the Germans took the group of islands for submarine bases, it would be a major problem. And, of course there were the oil reserves found which pretty much sealed the deal.

People on the US Virgin Islands are citizens of the US, but they can’t vote for President. They send one delegate to congress but that person can only sit on committees – they can’t vote on the floor.

The flag is a simple white field with the familiar eagle from the US Coat of Arms. It holds a laurel branch in one talon and instead of 13 arrows (for the original 13 colonies) it holds 3 arrows for the 3 main islands.

It is a simple, fairly well designed flag. I like it because people who see me flying it have no idea what it is.