Uncle Sam (initials are U.S.) is a common national personification of the American government or the United States in general that, according to legend, came into use during the War of 1812 and was supposedly named for Samuel Wilson. The actual origin is obscure. Since the early 19th century, Uncle Sam has been a popular symbol of the US government in American culture and a manifestation of patriotic emotion. While the figure of Uncle Sam represents specifically the government, the goddess Columbia represents the United States as a nation.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Uncle Sam (1938)[]
His first appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was in 1938, in the form of a 75-foot balloon, the tallest in parade history at the time in the late 1930s. The original Uncle Sam balloon retired in 1940 after three flights, and like many other balloons from that era, he was most likely dismantled and donated to the U.S. Military as part of the 650 pounds of rubber donated for World War II.
Uncle Sam (Recreation) (2002)[]
After more than 60 years of absence, a new Uncle Sam balloon was created in 2002, this time in the form of a novelty balloon. The first novelty recreation lasted for four years until a new duplicate was made in 2006 with the blue color being more dark, the mouth being frowned a little bit, and the balloon's skin is less transparent. The novelty balloon made on and off appearances until 2013 when it was retired along with many other items from the American portion of the parade. The balloon made 10 appearances in total.
In addition to appearing in the main parade, this version of Uncle Sam has also made subsequent appearances in the Macy's Holiday Parade.