by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Mark R. Alvarez

The morning was auspicious, but the weather wasn’t, with a stormy sky, intermittent rain and heavy winds, but for one Mainer, the tradition of planting a flag to commemorate the state’s birthday was going to happen no matter what.

Navy Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Ed Bennett climbed to the top of Guam’s tallest peak, Mount Lam Lam, to plant the Maine state flag and celebrate Maine’s 199th birthday, March 15.