U.S. Navy Fleet Admiral's Personal Flag from WWII.
This well worn, dark blue wool rank flag defaced with five white stars is unmarked and does not reveal which of the four men entitled to it, as Fleet Admirals, might have displayed it during WWII. In 1944 the United States Congress created the grade of Fleet Admiral, a rank equal to the grade General of the Army, and with it need for a distinctive flag for that high position.
Fleet Admiral is the most senior position in the United States Navy and only four men were both nominated by the President and confirmed by the US Senate: William Leahy, Ernest King, Chester Nimitz and William Halsey. One of them flew this flag on his flagship or headquarters ashore.
Fleet admirals were appointed for life and the grade was active from 1944 to 1966 (the date of the death of the last Fleet Admiral); but this flag, comparable in size to a US Navy size 6 admiral's flag, is datable to WWII because of the white metal grommets, a hallmark of flags made during the war.
Given the East Coast origins of this flag it has been speculated that it was most likely displayed by either Admiral Leahy or Admiral King.
Provenance:
• Acquired by unidentified consignor in metropolitan Philadelphia, PA., 1990s.
• Acquired by Zaricor Flag Collection at auction, Alderfer Auctions, Hatfield, PA, 9 September 2009
ZFC Significant Flag
Sources:
Navy - Fleet Admiral (U.S.), Flags of the World, 10 October 2011, from: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us%5Env5s.html
Flag Officers of the U.S. Navy, Sea Flags, 10 October 2011, from:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeohzt4/Seaflags/personal/fo.html
Fleet Admiral (United States), Wikipedia, 6 October 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Admiral_%28U.S.%29
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
