Last modified: 2008-04-05 by rick wyatt
Keywords: navy | united states | signal flags | convoy | sopa |
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A |
B |
C |
D |
F |
G |
H |
J |
K |
L |
M |
N |
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O |
P |
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R |
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U |
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The basis for most of the flags is the International Code of Signals, with additional colors placed at the fly. The images are based upon scans I made from National Geographic, October 1917 [gmc17], page 318, images 126-148, but without explanation.
A few things noted from the NGM article: there are no representations for letters E, I, and T.
Additionally, NGM notes some individual meanings:
D | - | "and any naval district vessel." | |
---|---|---|---|
P | - | "and Patrol" | |
U | - | "and mine" | |
V | - | "and cruiser" | |
W | - | "and scout" | |
X | - | "and own command" | |
Y | - | "and train" | |
Z | - | "and force commanders" |
For info, this is the regulation on use of the SOPA pennant in the U.S. Navy.
It's article 1280 of U.S. Navy Regulations (1990):
"If two or more ships of the Navy are together in port, the senior officer present afloat pennant shall be displayed from the ship in which the senior officer present afloat is embarked, except when his or her personal flag clearly indicates his or her seniority. The pennant shall be displayed from the inboard halyard of the starboard main yardarm."
Although the days of the great transatlantic convoys of World War II are long past, there remain some situations in the modern world in which the U.S. Navy would convoy merchant vessels. The most recent that comes to mind is the convoying of tankers through the Persian Gulf during the closing years of the Iran-Iraq War. Accordingly, the standard organization for convoy commodores and their staffs is maintained current in Navy instructions and the flag used by a convoy commodore remains on the books. It is a simple white flag with a dark blue cross throughout, resembling a large "X-RAY" signal flag. The flag is displayed by the commodore's ship when forming or dispersing the convoy or whenever else the commodore considers it necessary.
Joe McMillan, 11 February 2000