Iconic 911 flag finally found, will return to Ground Zero

EVERETT, Wash. (WJBK) - A piece of September 11th history will be making its way to Ground Zero ahead of the 15th anniversary of the attack.

Many recognize the photograph of three firefighters raising the American flag at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attack that day.

That flag went missing years ago. How or why it was misplaced was never made clear, but officials believe they have tracked down the iconic flag.

In October of 2014, a man named Brian showed up at an Everett Fire Station with a flag in a plastic bag. He said it was given to him, and that it's the flag seen in the photograph 'Raising the Flag at Ground Zero' by Thomas E. Franklin. You can see the photograph here. 

Since then, the flag has been analyzed by police and forensic experts.

Forensic materials scientist Bill Schneck began taking samples of dust particles from the flag to compare with dust particles from Ground Zero in New York.

Schneck says it's a very patriotic feeling to make such a discovery.

"I always wanted to do something patriotic, and this is as close as I'm going to get being as patriotic as I wanted to be," he says. 

The flag will be donated to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York this Sunday, September 11, 2016.