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Service flag

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A WWII-era service flag

A service flag or service banner in the United States is an official banner that family members of service members in harm's way can display.[1] The flag or banner is defined as a white field with a red border, with a blue star for each family member in active duty. A gold star (with a blue edge) represents a family member that died during service, without specifying cause of death. The deceased might have been killed in action, or died due to unrelated causes.[2]

History

Blue Star Service Banner
Gold Star Service Banner

The banner was designed in 1917 by United States Army Captain Robert L. Queisser of the Fifth Ohio Infantry, in honor of his two sons who were serving in World War I.[2] It was quickly adopted by the public and by government officials. On September 24, 1917, an Ohio congressman read into the Congressional Record:

The mayor of Cleveland, the Chamber of Commerce and the Governor of Ohio have adopted this service flag. The world should know of those who give so much for liberty. The dearest thing in all the world to a father and mother — their children.[3]

Usage

These flags were first used in World War I, with subsequent standardization and codification by the end of World War II.[4] They were not popular during the Vietnam War, but have come back into use.[5] In modern usage, an organization may fly a service flag if one of its members is serving active duty.[6]

Manufacture of these flags are only by specific government license i the territories under American jurisdiction.[1] The same section of the United States Code that limits manufacture of the banner also mentions lapel pins. There is no legal specification of the banner's size, but according to the DoD code[7], the flag size ratio must be 1:1.9. When displayed with the national flag, the latter should take the place of honor. If the flags displayed differ in size, the national flag should be larger.

Blue and gold are the only colors specified for use, but some say silver stars are customary for those discharged from service because of wounds or being invalided home.[8] The Silver Star Families of America is an organization attempting to encourage the U.S. Congress to make the silver star service banner official for those wounded or injured in a war zone. Update: 49 states, Guam, Saipan, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Chickasaw Nation and over 2,500 cities and counties have issued proclamations in support of the Silver Star Banner and of Silver Star Service Banner Day on May 1st of every year. Missouri has made it law and it is now in Congress. House Res: 855 and Senate Res: 320.[9]

There is no analogous banner known in other countries. The United States Army Institute of Heraldry governs use of the Blue Star.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b 36 U.S.C. § 901
  2. ^ a b The Service Flag of the United States at USFlag.org.
  3. ^ American Legion (unknown date). Blue Star Service Banners fact sheet.
  4. ^ Nick Artimovich (May 2, 1997). Description at Flags of the World.
  5. ^ John M. Simpson (December 30, 2005). Service Flag Graphics.
  6. ^ Service Flags.com.
  7. ^ Ebbesen, LGEN Samuel B. (September 1996). "DoD 1348.33-M, Manual of Military Decorations and Awards". Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management Policy). About.com. pp. 88–92. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
  8. ^ Wisconsin Historical Images (2007), World War I "Sons in Service" Flag.
  9. ^ Silver Star Families (2007).
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