A: Hi Jane,

I hope you find your project on flags interesting.  In NAVA we study flags and do projects as well.

According to Dr. Whitney Smith (the world's leading expert on flags) in his 1975 book "Flags through the Ages and Across the World" page 285:

He writes that the colors may have come from the Coat of Arms: "The cross indicates the close ties between Sweden and other Scandinavian states.  A gold cross on blue is found in a seal from 1449 employed by the Swedish king, but is today a national emblem."

"In 1569 King John III ordered that the yellow cross be part of Swedish flags..."  June 6th is flag day in Sweden.

Dr. William Crampton in his book "Flags of the World" 1997 reminds us Sweden was under the influence of Denmark until 1523, and Denmark has a similar cross on their flag.

The national coat of arms show three gold crowns on a blue field.

Hope this helps you.


Lee Herold

A: Hi Kirsten,

Good luck on your play, it sounds very ambitious. I wish you every success.

In answer to your question on the number of stars on the U.S. flag in 1912, on July 4, 1912 the U.S. flag went from 46 stars to 48 stars, due to the admission of New Mexico on Jan. 6, 1912, and Arizona on Feb 14, 1912. This 48 star flag is still the longest used American flag, from 1912 to 1959.

Therefore, in 1912 we had both a 46 star flag and a 48 star flag.

Lee L. Herold

A: Hi Larry,

I wish I could give you a direct answer, but I can only give you some clues, and like all detective work we must weigh and judge the facts.

Technically there was no 39 star flag, we went from 38 stars on July 4, 1877 after Colorado to 43 stars on July 4, 1890 with North & South Dakota (admitted Nov. 2, 1889), then Montana, Washington, and Idaho.

There are several reasons a single star may have been added to the 38 star flag, perhaps to represent the state of residence of the new state, or family in that new state, an error in counting, expectations of a new state coming in, etc.  It may have been for a play or other artistic reason.

Other clues are the age of the material, the stitching, grommets, and threads used which may be from that period, or a reproduction made later.  I am not expert on these items but can refer you to others if you wish.

Again, not a great help but maybe a few clues to follow.

Lee L. Herold

A: The proper order is US, California, POW - MIA

Nathan Bliss

--and we received the following--

This is incorrect for two reasons. 

a.. The POW-MIA flag is technically the flag of a private organization, the League of Families. An organization with laudable goals, but a private organization none-the-less, it would correctly go after all internal political subdivisions. These have been no court rulings on the constitutionality of those the various states which have compelled the use of the League of Families\POW-MIA flag; likewise for the mandated use of this flag by the post office and other federal agencies and buildings. The flag is not mentioned in any federal law regarding the civilian use of flags. 
b.. Another reason for the incorrect protocol is that the State of California was once nominally independent as the California Republic. Like her counter parts Texas and Hawaii, the flag of California is second only to the US Flag within the boundaries of California. This is specifically enumerated in Texas and Hawaiian statutes and implied in the California statutes.
I am wondering who was right with the change of the flags? No one was correct.

In theory the person in charge of the color guard is responsible for the correct placement of all flags, or that persons superior.

Does the POW/MIA Flag go next to the US Flag?  Only if no other flag of higher rank is present. As the flag of a private group, with a political agenda, it would go after a city flag if one were present.

Thank you,

James J. Ferrigan III

A: Hello Dean:
How's everything?  What material did they use to make the flag?  My guess is Nylon.  If so, and the material is in good shape (including the hoist - check around the attachment rings, and look at the fly end at the stitching for integrity), then hang in on a cloths line (or two), and get yourself a bucket of warm (not hot) water and a mild detergent.  Mix 'em up, and go over the flag with a soft, clean rag.  After it's been soaped up, rinse the flag with a garden hose, but use a LOW pressure. Then let it dry.  Season to taste.  Serves 100.

Richard R. Gideon

Q: Hi my name is Angela  and I am in 6th grade here in Anchorage, Alaska. On Friday my teacher posed a question to us for us to try and find an answer by Monday and the question is this; Which American flag do you take down and wash?......I am hoping you will be able to provide me with either an answer or a place I might be able to find the answer.  Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated and referenced.
Thank You

A: Hello Angela,
Mr. Gideon sent me your question, which is easy to answer. Which American flag do you take down and wash? Why a dirty one, of course. Good luck and thank your teacher for asking a good question, one I bet a lot of people don't know.
David Martucci

Q: Mr. Spain, could you please help us with an inquiry?
A: Sure!
 
Q: A customer of ours has six big flag poles in a row and wants to display two US flags on the middle two poles, two Texas flags, same size as US on the next two poles and two Corporate logo flags (don't know size) on the outside two poles.  We have heard that the Texas flag is the only State flag that can be flown same size and heights as the US flag because Texas was its own Nation.  Is this correct?
A: No.  This is my favorite "urban legend" on the Texas flag.  The sillier version is that this "right" comes from the "treaty" admitting Texas into the Union.  In fact Texas did not join the Union via a treaty, because congressional supporters of admitting Texas as a state could only muster a simple majority in support (the opposition was to Texas being yet another slave-owning state).  Remember that whole annoying Missouri Compromise stuff?  Texas, therefore, was admitted by a joint congressional resolution, which required only a simple majority vote of the members in both the senate and house of representatives, rather than a treaty, which would have required the advice and consent of two-thirds of the members of the senate.  There is nothing in either the draft (and unperfected) treaty or the (successful) joint congressional resolution about the status of the Texas flag--I have copies of both if you want to read them.

A further point is that Texas is not the only state that the United States government recognized as an independent nation before being admitted to the Union.  Hawaii was independent before the U.S. basically stole it.  The other state (which no one ever gets) is Vermont.  Before its admission, Vermont was recognized by the U.S. government as the independent Republic of New Connecticut.

Q: Where can I find this in writing?
A: You can't, as far as I know.  I guess I need to write an article on this. Maybe a column in the forthcoming VAST newsletter entitled "Texas Flag Myths"; There would be a lot of material!

Q: Which is the correct way to display the flags?
A: Assuming the correct way to display these flags is the way the U.S. and Texas Flags Codes say to do it, the order would be (from the observer's point of view facing the flags and assuming all poles are the same height):

U.S. U.S. Texas Texas Logo Logo 

The authority for this is title 4, United States Code, section 7(c), and Texas Revised Statutes, article 6139c, section 3(i).  Of course, since there are no civil or criminal penalties for violating the U.S. and Texas Flag Codes (and no official flag police) and because the customer is always right, the "correct" way to display the flags is probably the way the customer wants to!  I realize this is somewhat of a flip answer, but I try not to use the terms "correct" and "wrong" in answering flag etiquette questions because there are significant portions of the U.S. and Texas Flag Codes that many people simply chose to ignore (the prohibitions against using the U.S. and Texas flags in connection with advertising immediately come to mind).

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,

Charles A. Spain Jr.

Diane

A: Hello Diane,

It is highly unlikely the Mayflower flew any flag at all since she was a private ship chartered by the Pilgrims.  Flags in those days reflected ownership since the concept of "nations" had not yet arisen.  Often she is shown flying the English flag but there is no documentation of this and, as I said, it is highly unlikely.  The King certainly did not sanction the voyage.
 
David Martucci

Dear Ruthee:
     I regret to inform you that I have very little information on any flags (if any) that were used in that time period. I will forward this message to some other colleagues who may know a little more on the subject than I do.
My sincerest apologies,
John Gámez

(Any Leif Eriksson fans out there?...Ed)

A:  Dear Sandy:
     Here's the skinny on the flag that your dad brought back from the "Thousand Year Reich".  This is from the Osprey Men-At-Arms Series, #278 "Flags of the Third Reich 3: Party & Police Units", p. 37.

     Flag for Units of the German Labor Front: This was made from bright red bunting, 140cm long by 120cm high.  The centre of the field was composed by the Deutschen Arbeitsfront (DAF, German Labor Front) symbol of a black cog wheel containing a black swastika. the cog wheel had 14 teeth and was edged with a narrow white fimbriation; the swastika was placed on its point with its lower limb open to the staff.  In the upper corner of the cloth was placed the identification plate, 21cm long by 16 cm high, displaying the name of the DAF district.  For those districts located within a Kreis this panel was rust brown edged with a 1cm-wide black piping.  For those flags used by DAF units located within an Ortsegruppe the  panel was in light brown edged with a 1cm-wide piping. district names appeared that appeared on these panels were embroidered in white Gothic lettering.  The cloth was edged on three sides with a double sewn-on fringed border of silver aluminum strands of 6cm deep. The fourth, unfringed side had a series of eight (previously seven) red tapes sewn to the cloth, with were attached to the eight (previously seven) white metal rings fitted to the black wooden staff.  The finial took the form of the DAF emblem, a voided white cogwheel containing a swastika, all in polished white metal.  
     I hope that answers your questions. 

John Gámez

Dear TJ:
I think that this is what you are looking for:

http://www.atlasgeo.net/flags/Eindex.htm

http://www.atlasgeo.net/flags/anglais/html/Eunitedstates.htm

I would recommend that you ask permission to use the graphics first. Pascal Gross, I'm sure will give permission free of charge as long as you do not intend to make money off the use of the flags.  The top link is the home page and the second one is the link directly to the USA waving flag.

Good luck in your project.

John Gámez

I recently attended a local estate sale that featured a framed 13 star American flag.  It was aged and a little tattered, but overall it was still in very good condition.  It showed definite hand-stitching.  The stars were placed in  rows.  To the left of the stars, the fabric had the imprint of Annin and Co. NY.  There was no history offered with the flag.  In auction, it sold for $500.00.  I tried to do research prior to the auction, but was unable to get online.  Since then I have done some research and I have learned that this particular flag was probably made around 1777.  That was the year that Congress directed the stars to be placed in a circular pattern.  It was later changed to rows again to accommodate 15 stars.  I am curious what the value of an original 13 star flag has fetched in other auctions around the US.

I appreciate any information you could give me.  Were you perhaps at this auction? It was held in Yuba City.

Thank you,

Kathleen

A: Hello Kathleen,

First of all, most of your assumptions drawn from your research are wrong.  To begin with, Congress never specified the design of the stars on the American flag. The very first official specs were issued in 1912 by President Taft.  Secondly, the evidence of 13 stars in a circle is very slight for the 18th century.  Except for two sketches and a couple of paintings (done long after the fact) all of the contemporary evidence points to stars in rows of 3-2-3-2-3 or 4-5-4 in the 18th century. 

You should note also that the 13 star flag has always been made, from 1777 right up to the present day.  The Navy used it officially for its small boats from at least 1861 to 1916.  Tens of thousands of them (at least) were made during the
Centennial and Bicentennial celebrations and hundreds of them are made every year.

Now, I am surprised no one at Annin let you in on an important fact; Annin and Company was founded in 1847, so the flag certainly cannot be earlier than that.  Is the Annin mark hand-written or stamped?  If stamped, is it in one color or two? These answers will enable us to date it with a certain amount of accuracy.  BTW, 13 stars in a circle became the common pattern for this genre of flag about 1876 and continues in popularity today.  I would say preliminarily that it isn't any earlier than 1876.  And hand stitching for the stars was pretty common until the early 20th century.

As for value, only a better dating can tell us for sure.  Here's one thing I know for certain: there are no existing 13 star flags from the period of the Revolutionary War (1777-1781) and the oldest known flag dates from about 1784.  Prior to 1800, there are only 3 known 13 star flags that we believe are authentic (flags such as the Bennington flag or the Cowpens flag have been proven to be later).  So any 13 star flag that can be dated to the 18th century is priceless and I would expect it would bring a sum in the millions if auctioned.  None have surfaced in any auction, ever.  

Dave Martucci

James
Also very cool website; thanks

A: Dear James,

Thanks for the comments.  The US Flag has been changed more times than any other flag.  Our first flag, unofficial but internationally recognized, was the Continental Colors, 13 stripes with the British Union in the canton.  In 1777 we changed it by eliminating the British Union with a blue field bearing 13 stars representing a new constellation.  We added 2 stars and 2 stripes in 1795 (although unofficially there were many flags before then that represented the new states).  In 1818 we reverted to 13 stripes but changed to 20 stars and added a provision that a new star would be added for each new state on the 4th of July following admission to the Union.  In total, we have changed our flag 27 times since 1776.

In reality, however, before 1912 Americans designed their flags according to their own ideas, since no official specifications were issued before then (except for the Navy).  There are countless variations of the Stars and Stripes between 1777 and 1912.  This makes them quite collectable and very interesting.  I suggest you go to a good library and look up "The Stars and the Stripes" by Boleslaw Mastai and look at the photos of the many different patterns.  Be warned, however, do not rely on the text of that book; it is fraught with error and personal theories that have not been proven.  

David Martucci

When or  how did the practice of using flags to mark sovereignty over a particular territory or land area begin? We are particularly interested in the use of the military of raising flags over conquered territories.  Any help you could give us would deeply be appreciated as well as cited on the site.
 
 Thank you,
 
 Melissa Wiford
 Archives/Library and Museum Access Specialist
 Ohio Historical Society

A: Dear Melissa,

Your question is one of the fundamental issues in vexillology: when did flags first get used to mark sovereignty? This is not an easy question to answer. It would appear from the archaeological record that humans have used symbols and totems since near the beginnings of our species. Lost in that mist somewhere is the first instance of a homo sapiens raising his standard over a vanquished foe's cave or hut. The oldest flag-like objects we know of (some 5,000-7,000 years ago) seem to be fully-developed in the modern sense of how symbols are used, so the roots of all this extend into pre-history.

Cloth flags, however, are a more recent development. They seem to become symbols in both China (about 3,000 years ago) and Rome (about 1,500 years ago) quite independently of each other. Gradually, primarily in the west, they became to be used as emblems of monarchs who, by extension, represented the sovereignty of a territory or people. Military forces originally bore the flags of their sovereigns or commanders. It wasn't until the American Revolution that the first truly National Flag came into existence.

I hope your question is answered. If not, please let me know what else you need information on.
David Martucci

A: Hi Greg,

What luck and fun to find these flags in an old trunk. The 36 star flag was established on July 4, 1865 with the admission of Nevada on Oct. 31, 1864.  The 38 star flag was established on July 4, 1877 with the admission of Colorado on Aug. 1, 1876. It was not uncommon for people to add stars to their older flags when new states came into the union. 

Therefore, when North Dakota was admitted on Nov. 2, 1889 a 39th star may have been added by the owner. However, on that same day South Dakota was admitted. Therefore, there are several possible answers:

The flag was used in North Dakota or South Dakota who only added a star for their own state (since the official flag change would not occur until the next July 4th 1890-and by then we had a 43 star flag, not a 39 or 40 star flag).

The maker of the flag made a mistake.

The maker of the flag intended to add more stars but never got around to it.

The flag is a reproduction made later.

I hope this helps a little.  

Lee L. Herold

Q: I was wondering if there are any colleges or universities that award degrees in Vexillology?

A: There are none that I am aware of, but I hope I'm wrong.  However, after using several Internet search engines and a variety of keywords, I came up with nothing.  As you know, I was in education for 23 years.  Most of my colleagues had not heard of the word until I used it, and then they thought I was kidding them.  I've also had occasion to ask college representatives if they offered even a course in the subject, and all I got for my efforts was a glazed look.  This is why organizations such as NAVA play an important role in this field.  Many of our members hold Ph.D.s in various subjects, and bring their considerable talents to the 'vexillological' table.  Although I can't confirm it, my guess is that the average NAVA member is better educated than the average North American citizen.  Considering the changing political situation in various places across the world, and with the desire amongst disparate peoples to create their own identity, it would seem to me that flags would be a natural subject for serious study.  Hopefully you young people will change the situation.  I will pass your question along to our research associates.  Richard R. Gideon

--and we received the following--

Dick,
You are correct: there are no universities (yet) that offer degrees in vexillology.  However, I am sure that Dr. Whitney Smith would love to inaugurate such a degree program!  What might appear in college catalogues more readily would be a course in vexillology, perhaps in some enlightened Department of International Studies? (No, I don't know of any.)
Dr. John Purcell

--and--

I don't know the answer but I'll bet anyone $50 that no college or university gives a degree in Vexillology.  Although the subject goes back centuries, the defined study in the terms of vexillology is relatively new and the word is probably not known by 98% of the population.  Being an emeriti of a university, I can't imagine subject would lend itself to the required research, history, and applicability of offering such a degree.  But, on the other hand, if there is a degree in Basket Weaving, there might be. Dr. Truman Pope

--and--

Hi Dick,

Thanks for the references. I understand that the late Dr. William Crampton got in doctorate in vexillology in England.  This is the only degree in vexillology I have heard of (and that was second hand). 

Dr. Scot Guenter has taught a class in vexillology.  I don't think a degree has been been considered.

And that's all I know. Scot Guenter would be a better person to ask.

Lee L. Herold

A: Dear Cheryl:
I sent your request to our commercial members - perhaps one of them will be able to help.  Richard R. Gideon

--and we received the following--

A: Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for your inquiry which was forwarded to me. There are many flag companies and they all have a number of flags they make regularly and stock on their shelves. 

Unfortunately, none of the flags you mentioned are produced by any flag manufacturer that I know. It is possible but unlikely to find these flags.

What we do in cases like this is have them specially made. This usually costs more but you get get exactly what you want and in the colors you want. 

The prices are based on the complexity of the flags (how difficult it is to make and how much time it will take).
Lee Herold

A: Dear Mary:
I have sent your question to number of our research associates.  Personally, I'm stumped.  If anyone else out there can help Mary please contact webmaster@nava.org, and I'll pass it along.  Richard R. Gideon

Yes it is correct to wash flags and repair them. It is proper protocol and proper maintenance. I am not an expert on soap but hand washing in cold, or cool water with a soap like Woolite or a gentle detergent would best protect the colors. 

You can get a very little loss of color which is offset by removing the dirt which can wear the fabric. It might be best to test the fabric (especially cotton) to make sure it is colorfast. 

Consider also that flags are designed to be used outdoors in the wind and rain. So a little gentle washing should not hurt them.

Lee Herold 

Q: The flag used by George Washington when he was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army was of a blue background covered with white 6 pointed stars.  I have been told by a former Capitol Hill staffer that she had heard testimony given on the Hill during Senator Byrd's years that this flag was given to General Washington by Jewish merchants who fed his troops during winter quarters where they almost starved, thus the 6 pointed stars.  This flag is displayed by his tomb @ Mt. Vernon. I would like to know if this is the true origin of that unique flag.  Thank you for your attention. 

Katherine 

A: Hello Katherine,

There is some disagreement among flag scholars if indeed Washington used a blue flag with 13 stars on it for his command flag.  There is no mention of such a flag in his papers, but a flag identified with Washington exists at Valley Forge.  Some experts who have examined this flag (including me) believe it is more likely the canton of a period US Flag; there is no documentary evidence linking it to Washington, only legend.  However, some artists of the period painted Washington associated with such a flag.  Who knows for sure?  No one living, that's for sure.

As for six-pointed stars, there is no connection to "Jewish merchants" at all. First, the Jewish people did not use a  six-pointed star exclusively until the late 19th century.  "Solomon's Seal" and the "Shield of David" were often depicted as 5 pointed earlier.  Morocco still uses a five pointed "Solomon's Seal" on its flag today.

Six-pointed stars in the 18th century were considered heraldically correct and were very common on early US Flags.

Dave Martucci

Q: Dear Mr. Martucci,

I am looking for information on cleaning/restoration of a 45 star US Flag. It was found in our Elk's Lodge building in a false ceiling, and is soiled and has a couple of tears. Our Lodge is interested in restoring it and putting it on display as we think it may be the Lodge's original flag. (Watertown Lodge 838 received its charter in 1906). I need information on how to clean it, construct a display case or any other pertinent information.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,
Carl 

A: Hello Exalted Ruler!

Thanks for your message. Don't try to clean it. Admire its antique patina and marvel at the events and occurrences that have etched their memories in the dust and such the flag has attracted. 

As for display, be sure to keep it out of the light -- sunlight or bright light is a flag's worst enemy over time. I recommend that if display is necessary, have it framed by a professional archival museum-recommended firm that specializes in fabrics. Small tears and rips can be smoothed out and once framed, will be nearly invisible. Use UV-protected glass. This kind of framing is expensive, but is well worth it as the flag will last another century or more without any noticeable deterioration. I recommend hanging a curtain over it to reduce its exposure to light and only opening it when absolutely necessary.

A less expensive way to display the flag is to have it professionally photographed and display a large scale transparency with back lighting. The Massachusetts State House has done this with their flag collection with excellent effect (in fact, the flags are more impressive than they used to be because you can see the whole flag and the lighting effect is perfect). Then take the flag, loosely fold it around some acid-free tissue paper (so there are no creases) and place it in a acid-free box of  appropriate size and store it in a cool, dry closet. Be sure to label it well so when it is found again in 50+ years they will know what it is.     
Dave Martucci

A: Dear Bee:
You have asked a question that borders on the philosophical.  We don't really know the genesis of the first flag, but we do know that the origins have been lost to antiquity.  It would seem, however, that all flags consist in both utility and spirituality. When I say spirituality, I don't necessarily mean religion, although that component certainly can't be ignored. 

Flags seem to fill a necessary role in the human experience.  From the utility standpoint they are used to signal, identify, and mark.  Armies use flags to identify various commands and mark headquarters' tents, although that role has diminished over the years.  Flags have been used to warn of bad weather or the approach thereof, and the "flagman" was once a staple in construction areas (although on Pennsylvania's highways he seems to have been give a full-time job).

The spiritual aspect is our association of a flag to a country, cause, or religion.  It's deep in the race to want a symbol to rally around.  Dr. Whitney Smith, America's foremost expert in vexillology (the study of flags) has said (and I'll have to paraphrase here) that nations' flags did not drop down from heaven, but were the products of human civilizations and societies.  Any veneration due a flag is what the society in question bestows upon it. 

My own take on the subject is less erudite; we want them and so we make them, and nobody seems to know exactly why.

Richard R. Gideon

(AND..)

Hi Bee,

No I cannot answer your question.  A whole book cannot answer your question.  A flag is a symbol.  Often it represents the whole ideal and idea of a nation, the traditions, the aspirations, the security, the fears and protections, the life and death of its soldiers and civilians.  And yet it is tangible.  It can be burned, stomped on, dragged in the mud. 

Dr. Carolyn Marvin has written a book with the theory that a flag can be a symbol of a civil religion, with all the significance and mystery of any religion.  Also that we react intellectually and emotionally to flags as symbols.

To really explain this phenomena would be an excellent, but lengthy project.

Lee L. Herold

(Also..)

Dear Bee:
     You certainly have asked me one of the tougher questions that I have encountered.  I have sent carbon copies of this response to my colleagues in the field.  Perhaps they may give you a better or different answer than I could.
     Humanity is a complex organization of individuals and groups. As individuals we take pride in our individual identities. We express our individuality by the way we speak, dress, and comport ourselves.  All these are simply outward signs of what we are and what we want others to see.  As individuals in organizations we often shed our individuality and take on the accoutrements of the organization or society as an outward sign of what a group of individuals stands for.  For human individuals to belong to organizations is old as humanity itself.  As early as the Neanderthals, the fossil record indicates that
complex societies existed.  From the way the deceased were found buried to the way broken bones were given time to mend is an indication of strong societal bonds.
     My answer to your question would have to be a that humanity has a need to be organized and to display that sense of organization or community to others.  Only theories can be offered as to why the flag in the modern form began in the first place.  But certainly an emblem of some sort held aloft by one group of people may have certainly been used to warn or frighten a neighboring group of hunter/gatherers.
While this may sound absurd in the modern context, one must remember the power of emblems such as amulets and incantations had on ancient human societies.  Even in modern societies, the Christian cross has a great deal of
power behind it.
     It would then follow if a human realized that if a totem of some sort frightened his enemy, then that would be his emblem.
Now while a flag in and of itself has no real meaning, we assign a meaning to it.  An example of attaching meaning could taking from a monologue by comedian George Carlin.  He spoke at length on the subject of racial slurs.  He went on by naming several racial epithets from a to z.  He concluded that the individual words themselves had no real power, but it was
the racist who used the words that gave them the power that we assign to them.
     The same goes with flags.  While the flag of the USA might mean home for some, it might mean a distant place of hope for others, and for others it may mean a place that is repressive and intolerant.  A flag is also a symbol of authority.  While real authority comes from the Constitution of the United States, that document would look a lot like anyone else's governing document if allowed to fly in the wind.  A flag also gives a society a sense of security.  While we may go to the bank and read that our money is secured by the power of the US government, it is the flag outside the bank that is the visible emblem of that power.  A flag is also a binding emblem that gives individuals a sense of community.  We all see the flag at parades, schools, banks, sports events, everywhere.  It is there to remind us of who were are, and what we believe in, even if we all don't believe in the same thing.
I hope that this answers your question.

John H. Gamez

Q: Mr. Cannon,
I have had in my possession for some time a rather curious flag.  It was purchased for $6 dollars at an antique store in North Carolina.  The proprietor claimed that his father had purchased it from a farmer in Pennsylvania. The farmer it was said, had the flag hanging on a wall in his barn. Indeed the flag is rather old and weather-beaten in appearance.  The farmer also stated that he believed the flag to be from the Civil War era.  Being an amateur historian, I decided to take the flag and inquire into it's possible history and relevance. Unfortunately, no one that I have shown or described the flag to so far has any concrete knowledge as to it's possible origin, including a number of Civil War "collectors" and University Professors who are acquainted with the topic. 

In appearance, it is a white rectangular bar, on a red field, with a blue single star in the center.  The flag itself, and the white bar are made of a rough material, almost like an old but worn type of canvas.  The star is of a material like felt, and apparently hand sewn onto the white bar, though the rest of the stitching seems to be machined.  The border on the side on which the flag would be attached to the staff is of a separate material, a strong cotton cloth, and is also machine stitched with what seem to be 2 brass eyelets inserted. 

I have been advised by various persons that this could be anything from a Civil War era unit flag, to a Boy Scout guidon.  At any rate, the flag itself is obviously of some age, is fairly worn in spots and rates as a curiosity in any event.  (I was asked by the curator of a Civil War/Military museum in Virginia to donate the flag, though the curator said that he did not know what it was.. though I suspect he knew more about it than he was telling).  

At any rate, any help you could give me on this would be appreciated, if this sounds familiar to you. 

Thank you in advance, 

Dan C

A: Dear Mr. C:

Yes, I am familiar with the flag you have, at least if it matches the image I have attached here. First, it is not a Confederate flag, nor is it from the Civil War.

That you have had such a hard time identifying this flag shows how far removed we are from World War II, for it was a common sight on the home front then. You are the third person who has contacted me about one of these flags, the first being a National Park Service historian about ten years ago.

This is a War Service Flag (I think that may have been the official name, but don't hold be to it), better known as a Blue Star Flag.  The red and white part of the flag came pre-manufactured, and the blue stars were added by the purchaser. They were displayed by families which had family members in the service, with one star being added for each person in the armed forces. These flags were also displayed by businesses and churches, with stars for each employee or member who had gone to war. If a soldier/sailor/airman represented by a blue star on the flag was killed, the blue star was replaced by a gold star.

These flags were first used, I believe, in World War I. They were revived again in World War II. They may have been used during the Korean War, but I can't say for sure. I am fairly certain that they have not been used since.  I was not around for the Korean War, but was for the one in Vietnam, and have no memory of ever seeing them displayed at that time.

I cannot tell you for sure whether your flags dates from World War I or WWII. Many more were used in WWII, because of the much larger scale of that war and the greater number of Americans in the service. However, brass was taken out of general use at that time, so it could be used for military purposes such as shell casings, and flags made during WWII usually had steel grommets. Since yours has brass grommets, this may be evidence that it dates from WWI.

I am sending a copy of this letter to some folks who may know more about these flags than I, in hopes that they will correct any errors I have made here. But you do have a flag that is an important part of American history, even not the part of history some have lead you to believe.  

Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr.

(And..)

The flag is officially known simply as the "service flag." Title 36, United States Code, section 901(a) provides, "A service flag approved by the Secretary of Defense may be displayed in a window of the place of residence of individuals who are members of the immediate family of an individual serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities in which the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged."  Subsection (b) provides, "A service lapel button approved by the Secretary may be worn by members of the immediate family of an individual serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities in which the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged."  In my copious free time, I'll look for the Department of Defense regulations that implement this law.

Add: (19 July 2000)

I looked in the National Defense title of the Code of Federal Regulations and found no regulations concerning the service flag. I found a lot of interesting things about heraldic regulation by the Army Institute of Heraldry, but unfortunately nothing about the service flag.

Charles Spain

Thanks for your time.. Lori

Q: Hi Lori,

The 42 star flag is one of those interesting relics of a very complex time in our history.  It is true that it is an "unofficial" flag, but many of them were made. In fact, the correct flag of the period, the 43 star flag, is very scarce and far more valuable than the 42. Here's why:

In 1876 Colorado was admitted to the Union as the 38th State.  It is the custom and law of the USA to add the new star or stars on the 4th of July following admission, so from July 4th 1876 to July 3rd 1890, the official flags had 38 stars. 

In 1889 Congress debated a bill that would have admitted the Dakota Territory as a single state (which is why there are some 39 star flags around, but that is another story).  However, much to everyone's surprize, Congress split Dakota into two states and admitted them on the same day, November 2nd 1889.  We really don't know if South Dakota or North
Dakota was admitted as the 39th or 40th State. They were twins.

Six days later, November 8th 1889, Montana was admitted and three days after that, November 11th 1889, Washington was admitted.  This brought the total up to 42 states and there the matter seemed to rest. 

By late spring 1890, Congress had adjourned for the summer and manufacturers made all the 42 star flags they could in anticipation of the 4th of July.  However, Congress reconvened and on July 3rd, 1890, they admitted the State of Idaho, making the 42 star flag obsolete before it was born!  Then just seven days later, on July 10, 1890, Wyoming was admitted, so hardly anyone made any 43 star flags at all!  The 44 Star flag flew from July 4th 1891 to July 3rd 1896.

As for value, old flags have very subjective values, constantly changing.  The 42 star flag's value, depending of course, on condition, size and provenance (do you know who William Nye is?) is moderate because there really are quite a few of them around.  Its value is probably slightly higher in Washington State due to it being the 42nd State.  

Dave Martucci

HENRY.


A: Hello Henry,

In general, a flag's length should be between 25% and 30% of the height of the pole,
assuming you are only flying one flag on the pole.

In your example, and rounding to the nearest standard size, your flag should be between
5x8 feet to 6x10 feet in size. A good compromise, if it is a US Flag you are
contemplating, is one that is 5x9.5 feet, a stock item and in the official US Government proportions.

Dave Martucci

Dave Martucci