America's Olympic Standard Bearers: Men and Women Who Carried the Flag Throughout History

Ice hockey player Clarence "Taffy" Abel carries the flag for the United States at the opening ceremony at the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, Jan. 25, 1924.

Yachter Ralph Craig, center, of Albany, N.Y., carries the American flag in the parade of the nations at the opening of the summer Olympic games in London's Wembley Stadium, July 29, 1948.

Bobsledder Jim Bickford, carries the American flag during the opening ceremonies for the 1952 games at Oslo.

Bobsledder Jim Bickford, carries the U.S. flag again during the opening ceremonies for the 1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy.

Track and Field athlete Rafer Johnson carries the American flag while leading his team out of the Olympic Village to march in the opening ceremony of the Rome Summer Olympics in 1960.

Speedskater Bill Disney carries the flag as he leads his team into the Olympic Ski Stadium at Bergisel for the opening ceremony of the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

Track and Field athlete William Parry O'Brien, leads the U.S. athletes during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo on Oct. 10, 1964.

Alpine skier Cindy Nelson bears the flag for the United States team during the opening ceremony of the 12th Winter Olympic Games on Feb. 4, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria.

Luger Frank Masley carries the U.S. flag as he and his teammates march during the opening ceremonies of the 14th Winter Olympics in Sarajevo,Yugoslavia, Feb. 8, 1984.

Ed Burke, a hammer thrower, bears the flag of the United States, as the team marches into the Coliseum, during the opening ceremonies of the 23rd Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, July 28, 1984.

Biathlon athlete Lyle Nelson carries the flag during the opening of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Aberta, Canada.

American cross country skier Bill Koch carries the American flag at the beginning of the the 1992 WInter Olympics in Albertville, France.

Track and Field athlete Francie Larrieu-Smith leads the USA Olympic Team at the start of the 1992 summer games in Barcelona.

US Olympic wrestler Bruce Baumgartner carries the American flag during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta in 1996.

Four-time Olympic speed skater Eric Flaim carries the United States flag into the Olympic Stadium in Nagano, Japan, as he leads his team into the 1998 Winter Olympic Games opening ceremony.

American canoeist Cliff Meidl carries his country's flag during the opening ceremony of Sydney's Olympic Games, Sept. 15, 2000.

Speedskater Amy Peterson carries the American flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games on Feb. 8, 2002.

Basketball athlete Dawn Staley carries the U.S. national flag during the opening ceremony of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Speed skater Chris Witty carries the US flag as she and her teammates attend the opening ceremony of the Turin Winter Olympic Games on Feb. 10, 2006.

Track and Field athlete Lopez Lomong, flag-bearer of the U.S. Olympic team, marches during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Luger Mark Grimmette bears the American flag and leads his delegation during the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Feb. 12, 2010.

United States's fencer Mariel Zagunis carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 27, 2012, in London.

Todd Lodwick celebrates his first place finish in the 10K to secure a place on the United States Olympic team for Sochi 2014 during the Nordic Combined Olympic Trial Dec. 28, 2013 in Park City, Utah. Lodwick was chosen to carry the American flag during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.