One of the most stressed supply chains since September 11 continues to be the one for American flags.

"Business is so high right now it is hard to control. It is about five times the usual," says Mark Ward, owner of Fort Pitt Flagpole Colo. in McKeesport, Pa.

K-Mart in particular sold more than 645,000 handheld flags nationwide within the first 2 weeks after the attacks. The company also donated another 50,000 flags to the City of New York.

The retailer has since ordered an additional half million flags and is trying to get them to stores as quickly as possible.

"We have told our DCs that flags are the priority for items brought in and then sent out to the stores," says K-Mart spokesperson Susan Dennis.