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Flags of U.S. Navy Commands |
See also:
Return to Sea Flags home pageNTP 13(B), Flags, Pennants, and Customs, provides for distinguishing flags to be used by bureaus and commands of the Navy for indoor display, for use in outdoor ceremonies at joint service activities where other service units use such flags, and for flying over industrial facilities that are not part of another naval installation. These flags are not flown aboard Navy installations.
The first of these flags was that of the old Bureau of Ordnance, approved by the Secretary of the Navy on October 18, 1918. It was displayed at the Bureau's own ammunition and armament plants as well as at private factories whose production was at least 75% (later 50%) for the Navy. Along with the Bureau of Ships, which had its own flag, the Bureau of Ordnance was subsumed into the Bureau of Naval Weapons in 1959, which was in turn succeeded in 1966 by the Naval Ship Systems Command (now Naval Sea Systems Command), Naval Electronics Systems Command (now Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command), and Naval Air Systems Command. The flag of the Bureau of Ordnance was blue with a red lozenge bearing the 19th century seal of the bureau in gold.
NAVAIR was established in 1966 as the successor of the aeronautic functions of the former Bureau of Naval Weapons, which was in turn the heir of the Bureau of Aeronautics established in 1921. The flag is yellow with the command emblem, a pair of naval aviator's wings centered on concentric blue, white, and red disks.
NAVSEA is ultimately the successor of the Bureau of Construction, Equipment and Repairs and the Bureau of Ordnance and Hydrography, both established by law in 1842. The flag is white with the command emblem, the surface warfare and submarine officers' qualification badges on a light blue and green background.
Like the other systems commands, NAVSUP has its roots in the 1842 creation of the bureau system for managing the shore establishment. Its traditional flag is blue with the command emblem--virtually identical to the emblem of the old Bureau of Supplies and Accounts--on the center: a crossed key, officer's sword, and trident, all surmounted by the cluster of oak leaves that is the distinguishing insignia of the Navy Supply Corps. Another flag was recently designed in connection with the adoption of a set of graphic standards for the command. This is white with the command logo in blue and yellow--the word NAVSUP upon a target, surrounded by a surface ship, an airplane, and a submarine, above the command name.
This flag was
officially authorized in
1948. The small gold objects on the coat of arms are the corps devices of the
Medical, Dental, Medical Service,
and Nurse Corps and the rating badges for hospital corpsman and dental
technician, the last having been added
to the coat of arms in 1998.
