The flag is made of cotton, cotton thread, machine stitched, thirteen alternating red and white stripes, top stripe is red, bottom stripe is red. Union/canton 29.5 inches x 33 inches with 48 stars, 2.5 inches across, sewn on the obverse and reverse sides. The flag is attached with loop and string.
. Framed (outside dimensions 56 x 96).
Exhibition History
First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC1072)
48-STAR UNITED STATES 8-FOOT U.S. NAVY ENSIGN (FROM D-DAY TASK FORCE)
Date: 1944
Media: Wool bunting and cotton; machine sewn
Comment: This flag was the ensign of one of the major warships that participated in the bombardment of the beaches during Operation Overlord the D-Day invasion of France beginning the morning of June 6th, 1944. To maintain secrecy, the name of the ship that flew this flag was not revealed when it was subsequently donated to the collection of Calvin Bullock of New York City. The rips and tears are typical of the damage inflicted on a ships flag due to weather and/or battle conditions.
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1072) in 1997 from the estate of the late Calvin Bullock of New York City.
Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 125.
48-Star United States Ensign from the Invasion of Normandy on D-Day
This battle-damaged United States ensign was acquired from one of the U.S. ships involved in the Western Task Force during Operation Overlord. That was the code word for the massive Allied landings on the Normandy coast on June 6, 1944, popularly known as D-Day. The U.S.S. Augusta was the flagship leading the Western Task Force charged with protecting and landing the U.S. forces which stormed ashore at Utah and Omaha Beaches. Over 1,000 ships took part in the landings, but because of wartime security restraints the name of the ship that bore this flag is unknown. This flag was donated to the Wall Street financier and promoter of Anglo-American good will, Calvin Bullock. He displayed this flag prominently at his 1 Wall Street office in New York City. There he maintained both a private collection of historic flags and the conference room of the famous Calvin Bullock Forum, a speakers forum for renowned public figures who addressed topics of the day.
Date: 1942
Size: 50" hoist x 88" fly
Media: Wool bunting; cotton stars, machine sewn
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1997 from the estate of Calvin Bullock of New York City.
ZFC1072
ZFC Important Flag
Item is Framed
New York Grouping
Provenance:
• Undisclosed U.S vessel.
• Presented to Calvin Bullock, New York, New York, 1941-1944.
• Calvin Bullock Collection, until passing, June 1944.
• By bequest to Hugh Bullock, until passing. 1966.
• By descent in Bullock family to daughter of Hugh Bullock, until 1997
• Purchased for the Zaricor Flag Collection by private treaty from the estate of Calvin Bullock, New York City, 1997.
