NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. — Squire Fredrick Taylor is best known for his loud role of welcoming Honor Flight veterans to Washington D.C. However, Thursday he received his own special welcome to Fort Niagara.
“I meet them, ring the bell, give an introduction the veterans as they’re coming off [the plane] and make a lot of noise.”
In his free time, Taylor, the official town crier of Annapolis, Maryland is a professional tour guide and frequently shows people around Fort McHenry.
Both Fort McHenry and Fort Niagara have similar stories when it comes to waiving very large American flags over themselves during the War of 1812.
The ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ was first a poem written about the flag at Fort McHenry, but before it was ever created, the first flag of its size was flying high in Western New York.
“I just became possessed by having to see the large flag at Fort Niagara in some way or another, so I can take a photograph of it,” Taylor said.
Kathy Brown with Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight felt that it was the least they could do to make Taylor’s dream trip a reality.
“We really wanted to show him how much we appreciate what he does for our veterans by asking him to come to [the Greater Buffalo area] and enjoy some of the things that we have to offer here… He is definitely a history buff.”
“One of my interests was to get here to Fort Niagara to see that flag,” Taylor said. “It has been absolutely fantastic.”
Soon, Taylor, who is an Air Force veteran himself, will be back to the airport to welcome his fellow veterans to the Washington D.C. area.
