World War I

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World War I
UNITED STATES
ZFC1439 U.S. Infantry Color 75th Regiment. WWI, 1917, Camp Lewis, WA, “Lucky 13th Division.” This U.S. Infantry Regimental Color was embroidered specifically for the 75th United Infantry. Raised during World War I, the 75th was formed from volunteers and draftees from Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Montana. The 75th was part of the 13th Infantry Division; so named because the division was training in trench warfare when the Armistice was signed, 11 November 1918. Consequently, they avoided the heinous slaughter of the First World War, the “war to end all wars.” Read more
ZFC2336 This is the 1918 U.S. Infantry Regimental Color, for the 69th NY Infantry, recruited primarily in New York City. Many Irish-Americans and other New Yorkers served in the 69th during their deployment to France in 1918, where they engaged the Germans in heavy combat. By the First World War the 69th New York Volunteer Infantry, “The Fighting Sixty-Ninth” had been renamed and renumbered as a part of the New York National Guard, the 165th Infantry Regiment. However, the regiment retained its strong Irish identity and the Secretary of War allowed the regiment to carry their old colors to Europe. Read more ZFC2337 Tiffany Silver Band for flagstaff for the colors of 69th Regiment New York Inf. After WWI, in thanks for having granted permission for the 69th New York Infantry to carry its old colors to France, the colors were gifted, by the regiment’s veterans, to the Honorable Newton D. Baker, the Secretary of War who granted permission. To commemorate this presentation, the Louis Comfort Tiffany Company made a sterling silver band for the colors flagstaff. Read more
ZFC2205 This 48 Star wool, U.S. Interment flag was used for the funeral of Pvt. Isaac Lyons, from California, and presented to his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Harrison Lyons. The flag was used for post war display by his sister Minnie Flora Lyons who attached the five small brass snaps sewn to the hoist edge. Read more ZFC0641 The 48 Star Franco-Anglo-American Alliance “Humanity Flag,” 1917 - 1918 was produced during WWI. The Humanity Flag, a special variant novelty 48 Star Version of the United States flag was patented (#51812) by Albert Hewitt of Mount Vernon, NY, on February 26th, 1918. In his alliance flag, Hewitt substituted rows of the British jack for the red stripes of the Stars & Stripes. The canton, instead of being all blue, was divided vertically into the French tri-color-blue, white, and red; and the forty-eight stars upon that canton are shown in colors opposite of the tri-colors bars. Read more
ZFC0642 The “Humanity Flag” oil painting contemporary to America’s entry into World War I, depicting the U.S. as beacon and protector of freedom and democracy. It was his belief that this flag, which was marketed as a painting, a lithograph as well as an actual cloth flag, was a graphic representation of Woodrow Wilson’s famous justification for the U.S. entering World War I; “to make the world safe for democracy.” Read more
ZFC0267 308th Artillery, Battery E was a part of the 153rd Brigade of the 78th “Lightning” Division that served in France during the First World War. They fought in the St. Mihiel, Muese-Argonne and Lorainne Campaigns. When the United States entered World War I, the numerous state national guard units were absorbed into the U.S. Army and assigned new regimental numbers. In this case the old state designation became the 308th U.S. Artillery. Read more ZFC0281 17th U.S. Field Artillery silk headquarters guidon from the First World War. The 17th Field Artillery was Constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army at Camp Robinson, Wisconsin. They were attached to the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade of the 2nd Division and fought in the Aisne; Aisne-Marne; St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne; Lorraine; and Ile de France campaigns in which the regiment served with distinction earning the French Croix de Guerre with Palm and the right to wear the Fourragere. Read more
ZFC3263 U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps Motor-truck Company Guidon. The first world war was the first mechanized war and this guidon was used on vehicle convoys and vessels of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps both stateside and abroad. Read more ZFC0127 This 313th Infantry Regiment Camp Banner was forwarded to the Star Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum by the Maryland Historical Society during the American Revolution Bicentennial celebration in 1976. It was formerly the property of the Mountfaucon American Legion Post of Baltimore Maryland. The banner does not conform to any item issued to the 313th Infantry and was likely a camp banner to identify mobilization and assembly areas. The 313th Infantry was recruited from the Baltimore, Maryland area and was known as “Baltimore’s Own.” Read more
ZFC0129 This Camp Banner bears the insignia of the 79th Division and the numeral of “Baltimore’s Own” the 313th Infantry Regiment. This, like ZFC0127, was likely a camp banner to identify rear areas of the regiment. The banner was also from Baltimore’s Mountfaucon American Legion Post, and donated to the Star Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum during the American Revolution Bicentennial celebrations. Banners like this were not issue items of the U.S. military, and were likely used to mark rear areas. Read more ZFC0948 U.S. one star Service Flag. During World War I, a special Service Flag for display on the home front was patented and widely distributed. Designed as a vertical banner, but often used as a flag, they intended for display on walls, doors, or windows, consisted of a white field with a broad red border; on the white field, the home owner displaying the flag affixed as many blue, five pointed stars, as there were household members in the armed forces. If any household member died while in the service, the household had the right to replace the blue star with a gold star. Service Flags are an official flag of the U.S. Government, whose use and display, although widespread and largely at will are controlled by the Secretary of the Army, who is tasked with overseeing their design, construction and manufacture. Read more
ZFC3066 U.S. one star Service Flag marked “Infantry’ with crosses rifles is a variant of the Service Flag introduced during WWI. It combined the traditional design with the branch insignia of the U.S. infantry to indicate that a family member was serving in that branch of the service. Read more ZFC1383 This U.S. Service Flag Pennant variant bears the U.S. Service Flag and the crossed cannons of the field artillery and is a companion piece to ZFC1382. It is the service pennant of W.J. Schmidt, who left home for Camp Lewis, Washington in October of 1917, was shipped overseas in April of 1918, and returned home in April of 1919. Identified service flags like this variant are scarce. Read more ZFC1382 This U.S. Service Flag Pennant variant bears the U.S. Service Flag and the crossed cannons of the field artillery and is a companion piece to ZFC1383. It is the service pennant of W.J. Schmidt, who left home for Camp Lewis, Washington in October of 1917, was shipped overseas in April of 1918, and returned home in April of 1919. Identified service flags like this variant are scarce. Read more
UNITED KINGDOM
ZFC3360 United Kingdom Union Flag, made by Kirk, Hall & Co of Leeds, marked and dated 1918 and later used aboard the HMS Iron Duke. The flag was acquired from the estate of Ambassador Julius Waring Walker, Jr., a career foreign service officer who acquired this flag in the United Kingdom while posted there as a political officer in from 1969 to 1972. Read more
GERMANY
ZFC1127 This WWI era German Naval Storm Ensign bears the crowned W inspection mark of the German Empire. This ensign, the distinguishing flag of a warship, was basically the national flag defaced with the quintessential German symbol, the Iron Cross; in the canton, a white field is divided by an offset black cross cotised white into four fields. At the intersection of the arms of the cross is a medallion-like disk, with a thin black border which carries the Prussian eagle. Read more
ZFC1365 Imperial Germany National Flag 1871 - 1919. This Imperial German flag is typical of flags used for private use. The black, white and red tri-band was retained as the national flag of the Empire in 1871. It had been previously used by the North German Confederation (1866-1871), a union of the Kingdom of Prussia and 21 other north German states. It combined the colors of Prussia (black & white) with the colors of the cities of the Hansiatic League (red & white.) Read more ZFC0204 Imperial Germany Pilot’s Drop Flag. This World War I German Pilots Flag was formerly part of the collection of the M.H. de Young Museum. It was originally acquired from the German submarine U-124 in 1918 by an American Blue Jacket (sailor). The U-124, surrendered on December 1st, 1918. These pouches were used by aviators to drop messages to either ground troops or ships and contained an internal weight in addition to a snap closure used to secure the message. Similar items exist for the allied side and have red, white and blue tails. Read more
ZFC0348 Imperial German national flags were used throughout the 2nd Reich during the First World War to boost morale; bid soldiers farewell and welcome veterans home. Read more ZFC0349 The Kingdom of Bavaria was a component part of the German Empire, but Bavaria retained her own army. This parade flag displays the livery colors of Bavaria, and small stick flags like this would have been used on the home front for patriotic purposes. Read more
IMPERIAL AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
ZFC0350 Imperial Austria-Hungary stick flag, this black and golden-yellow parade flag displays the livery colors of the house of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, the ruling dynasty of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Sometimes called the “Black and Gold Monarchy” because of this flag. Flags like this would have been used In send-off and welcome home parades during World War I. Read more ZFC3138 Imperial Austria-Hungary Naval Ensign for the Imperial Navy that maintained a fleet in the Adriatic Sea and on the rivers of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Read more
ARTIFACTS and EPHEMERA
Personal artifacts of Captain Claus Emmanuel Ekstrom, adjutant of the 74th Infantry Regiment during WWI. Capt. Ekstrom served with this regiment while they were being trained and organized at Camp Devin, Massachusetts. They were a part of the 24th Infantry Brigade of the 12th Division, nicknamed the “Plymouth Division” because of their Massachusetts origins. The war ended before they could be deployed overseas and the regiment served entirely stateside.
ZFC0563 U.S. Army Flag Set, two red and white semaphore flags, on original staffs Signal with case. These were used for long distance visual communications. Read more
ZFC0556 Campaign Hat, worn stateside, was a felt hat with a broad, stiff brim and four dents in the crown. Now worn only by US military drill instructors and popular with, law enforcement personnel and the Boy Scouts. Read more ZFC0558 U.S. Army Officers Sam Browne Belt; Sam Browne belts are a combination of a leather waist belt and a shoulder strap. They were originally a practical way to carry heavy equipment, but in WWI they worn by officers. During World War I, the Sam Browne Belt was approved by General Pershing as a mark of distinction for officers. Read more
ZFC0557 U.S. Army Officers Boots and spurs would have been worn by the adjutant when mounted as a member of the regiment’s cadre. Read more ZFC0559 U.S. Army web belt with .45 semi-automatic pistol holster, .45 ammo pouch, and first aid kit and pouch were ubiquitous for offices and non-commissioned officers. Read more
ZFC0560 U.S. Army Officers Map Case with two pencils and 1904 Infantry Tactics Manual (see ZFC0562.) Read more ZFC0561 Infantry Tactics manual 1904. Read more ZFC0562 Soldier’s Bible presented to Captain Ekstrom by his mother 26 October 1918, on the eve of his departure for France, which was cancelled by the Armistice on 11 November 1918. Read more
World War One - Posters, Photos Post Cards and Patriotic textiles
ZFC2270 “The Living Flag,” U.S. Naval Training Station Postcard, Great Lakes, IL, 1917. This postcard depicts “The Living Flag,” one of a series of patriotic and panoramic “Living Photographs” designed and shot by Thomas Mole and John D. Thomas. “The Living Flag” was shot at the U.S. Naval Training station at Great Lakes, Illinois. The image of the flag was formed by thousands of officers, ratings, and recruits. The stunning stars and stripes effect was created not by distinctive red, white, and blue apparel, as the colorized post card depicts, but rather by simply alternating the white summer and blue winter uniforms of the subjects. Read more ZFC1937 Photograph in patriotic frame of two WWI U.S. doughboys in a metal patriotic frame decorated flags and military motifs, inscribed “Taken in Cour Chrverny Bois, Oct 1918, E. H. Durocher & Vernon Davis of Lynchburg Va, USA.” Read more
ZFC0272 L’Emprunt de la Liberation, “The Poster of the Liberation” showing the flags of the allies bearing down on Kaiser Wilhelm drawn and published by the French painter, caricaturist, illustrator, and lithographer Faivre Abel 1867-1945. Read more
ZFC0573 International Red Cross (IRC) post card made in France, with an embroidered design featuring the IRC emblem on a white oval, flanked by the furled flags of Imperial Russia, France, Belgium and United Kingdom. Manufactured before the United States entered the war, 1914 to 1917. Read more ZFC0711 Patriotic Pillow Case featuring the International Flags of the Allies, this silk slip case features images of the flags of the nations opposed to the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire) featuring a large U.S. flag, surrounded by the Union Jack, Belgium, Italy, and, France, with smaller flags representing, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Panama, Romania, England, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Brazil, Greece, Japan, Cuba, China and Portugal. Read more
ZFC0704 Glorie aux Americains, “Glory to the Americans” French made patriotic scarf featuring the flags of the Allies and images of President Woodrow Wilson, General George Washington, General Lafayette and the Statue of Liberty. Read more ZFC0524 Honneuraux Allies de la Grande Guerre, crossed U.S. & French flags on embroidered lace. The piece shows a central panel with a central emblem of two crossed flags on staffs, one each U.S. and French, over a torch, presumably as a symbol of victory. The torch is surrounds by rays of light. Under the torch is a demi-wreath of leaves, the portion of the wreath under the U.S. flag is in green, while those under the French flag are shown in blue. Over the wreath, on either side, are two artillery pieces, emanating from each are two uniform sleeves, one American olive drab the other French blue, from each is a hand which are clasped in friendship. Read more