‘Ignite patriotism’: New flag unveiled in honor of Major Brent Taylor

OGDEN — A beautiful night for baseball turned into a celebration of the red, white and blue at Lindquist Field Saturday, as we approach the 24th anniversary of 9/11.

Fans at the Ogden Raptors game watched as the Major Brent Taylor Foundation unveiled a brand-new giant flag — alongside its original.

Every year, the flag — nicknamed “The Major” — has hung in Coldwater Canyon to honor Major Brent Taylor and other U.S. military veterans. Taylor, a member of the Utah National Guard and North Ogden mayor, was killed in Afghanistan in 2018.

“I wish he were here,” said Jennie Taylor, his wife. “I wonder what he would say, and I can tell you, I feel him here.”

She explained the original flag took serious damage from wind and rain last November.

“We realized it would no longer be able to fly in the canyon while still maintaining the integrity and respect of the American flag,” she said.

So, they decided to make a new one. The foundation worked with Colonial Flag in Sandy to construct a second, 78-by-150-foot flag.

“It’s a massive undertaking that we couldn’t have done alone,” she said.

And at Saturday’s game, over 300 volunteers, including firefighters, police officers, and military personnel from Hill Air Force Base, carried in both flags, each weighing more than 400 pounds.

“You just feel like 249 years of America pulsing through the veins of that fabric,” Jennie said.

Fans agreed the display was inspiring. “To see this kind of stuff is pretty amazing,” said Ken Kopinski.

“We like to use the phrase ‘ignite patriotism.’ We just want to ignite that patriotism wherever we go, and I think everyone in attendance tonight felt the flames of freedom,” Jennie said.

The original “Major” flag will continue attending local events, while the new flag will fly in Coldwater Canyon for two weeks this November.

Related: Major Brent Taylor Foundation wants to send all of Utah’s Gold Star families to 9/11 memorial