HomeVexiBits 2019

Vexibits of the Month 2019

This page is simply for the enjoyment of flags and perhaps the interesting stories behind them. Other flags will have no stories and will have to speak for themselves. Each month we feature an unusual flag or two, how they came to be, and their histories. Please enjoy these flags and the stories as we do...

Send Vexibits suggestions to the Website Editor - webeditor@nava.org

Vexibits for December 2019 - Lessons from History, the American Legion, and the National Guard

It is now 80 years since World War II broke out in Europe and spread into a worldwide conflict. As memories of the lessons learned and those who lived them fade into history, one is struck by the old saw about history repeating itself and those who forget those lessons being condemned to repeat them. World War II, nicknamed "The Great Crusade", was a really a repeat of World War I, or "The War to End All Wars". Those who participated in the Second World War, now called the "Greatest Generation", fear that today's political indicators foreshadow another rerun in the making.

Younger generations forget as older generations vanish and cycles of history repeat themselves. Vexillologists who study history often attempt to remind those who have forgotten by flying flags that recall these lessons. Those seeking to honor, remember, or educate have a wealth of possibilities to fly in December. This 2010 United Kingdom World War II Commemorative Flag remembers the 70th anniversary of the beginning of that war and is one such flag.

The United States entered World War II on December 7, 1941, when a successful sneak attack by the naval forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy sunk or damaged much of the United States Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. On the day after the attack, President Roosevelt delivered his famous "A Date in Infamy" speech to Congress, calling for a formal declaration of war. This 2016 Pearl Harbor Flag commemorates the 75th Anniversary and the "awakening of the sleeping giant".

The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Counteroffensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. It took place from December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945. It was launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in eastern Belgium, northeast France, and Luxembourg, toward the end of the war in Europe. The ultimately unsuccessful offensive was intended to stop Allied use of the Belgian port of Antwerp and to split the Allied lines, allowing the Germans to encircle and destroy four Allied armies and force the Western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in favor of the Axis powers. This Battle of the Bulge Veterans Flag honors those veterans of that great battle.

The American Legion celebrates its 100 Anniversary this year. Therefore, nobody should be surprised that a special American Legion 100 Anniversary Flag was created to mark its centennial. The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Today, its membership stands at nearly 2 million with more than 13,000 posts worldwide. The Legion is one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States, and over the years, the Legion has won hundreds of benefits for veterans and produced many important programs for children and youth.

December 13, 2019, is the 103rd birthday of the modern United States Army National Guard, although the local militias that gave birth to the National Guard date further back than even the earliest English colonization of the Americas. The first muster of militia forces in what is today the United States took place on September 16, 1565, in the newly established Spanish military town of St. Augustine (which will be the site of NAVA 55 now rescheduled to June 12 to 14, 2021). The first English colony-wide militia was formed by Massachusetts in 1636 by merging smaller older local units.

Several modern Army National Guard units can be traced back to this militia. During World War I, Congress passed the National Defense Act of 1916, which required the use of the term "National Guard" for all the state militias. Today all 50 U.S. states and territories, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have National Guard units. These National Guard units are all still under the dual control of the states and the federal government. As their motto states, they are "Always Ready, Always There."

Vexibits for November 2019 - Flags Centered Around Remembrances

The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) is celebrated throughout Mexico as a public holiday on November 2 and 3. It is also celebrated in many parts of the United States, particularly where there are large Latin American communities. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and helping support their spiritual journey. These Day of the Dead celebrations are especially popular on the West Coast and in the southwestern part of the United States.

It has become intertwined with Western Christian observances of All Saints' Eve (Halloween), All Saints' Day (All Hallows), and All Souls' Day, which last from October 31 to November 2. Sometimes called "Allhallowtide", these days are set aside as a "time to remember the dead, including martyrs, saints, and all faithful departed Christians." During the Day of the Dead celebrations some people wear masks, carry signs, or put up elaborate decorations to honor the dead.

Altars in memory of the dead are placed in people’s homes (food, symbols, flowers, candles, photos, and other mementos) and some community centers invite people to commemorate their deceased loved ones with offerings (ofrendas) through public altars. Naturally, there are many colorful flags to celebrate the Day of the Dead and three are shown here. These flags come in all shapes and sizes, usually with colorful painted skulls or skeletons as part of their designs.

The United States Marine Corps started as the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775. On that date, the Second Continental Congress decided that it needed two battalions of Marines to serve as landing forces with the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). Although not a public holiday, Marine Corps Day is celebrated by the personnel, veterans, or others related to the Marine Corps. Since 1925 it is usually marked with a formal birthday ball, entertainment and the flying of the Marine Corps flag.

In Canada November 11 is called Remembrance Day (known informally as Poppy Day). It has been celebrated since the end of the First World War in most of the British Commonwealth as a day in memory of members of their armed forces who died serving their country. It is related to the United States Armistice Day celebration (now Veterans Day) on the same day; the holidays mark the signing of the armistice which ended the World War I hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918.

Just as veterans are thanked for their service to the United States on Veterans Day, in Canada and the Commonwealth the tradition is also followed remembering those who served. It is observed with parades, silences, displaying flags both national and novelty, and other public celebrations.

On Poppy Day many wear poppies in their lapels, as a reference to the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae which begins, "In Flanders fields the poppies blow | Between the crosses, row on row." The poppies on the flags recall the poem and the use of the flower as a symbol of remembrance.

Did you know that November 28 is the Native American National Day of Mourning? It takes place on the fourth Thursday of November, coinciding with Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Every year on this same day, Native American people in New England gather to protest. To them, Thanksgiving serves as a reminder of the unjust treatment that Native Americans have received since the 1620 Plymouth landing. Flags like the one on the right come with a variety of images defacing the red and white stripes on the fly.

Vexibits for October 2019 - World Vexillology, 51-Stars, Pink Patches, and the Navy's Birthday

Proposed World Vexillology Day Flag

October 1 was World Vexillology Day so it seems like it deserves a flag of its own. I asked last year's FOTW Vexillologist of the Year, Clay Moss, to provide one for this month's Vexibit. Clay, a long-time NAVA member, is well-known for his flag illustrations and scholarship, and he designs flags as a hobby. His VexiDay design features a globe made of flags centered above a white "V" chevron for vexillology , similar to those displayed on many vexillological organization flags, including our NAVA flag.

The field of the World Vexillology Day flag is the light blue used on many of the flags of the United Nations and the flag of the International Federation of Vexillological Associations.

His design turned out to be quite striking, perhaps it will get your creative vexillographical juices flowing. Learn more about the origins of World Vexillology Day here.

Dozens of unusual US flags were put up along Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the U.S. Capitol this last month as a backdrop to a special parade, one in a series of events leading up to the current hearing on a statehood bill now before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. These were 51-Star United States flags.

The proposed bill, introduced in January by D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, has 219 co-sponsors and proposes making the District of Columbia the 51st State of the Union. A similar statehood bill was introduced in the Senate with 30 co-sponsors.

Because of this there have been several interesting designs suggested for a new national flag, ranging from a standard staggered horizontal linear design to a circular cluster of stars. Some believe that statehood for the District of Columbia can be simply achieved by an act of Congress, under the power granted to Congress by the United States Constitution to admit new states to the Union (Article IV, Section 3, Clause 1); however there is disagreement on the process since the district was established to serve as neutral ground for the national government. The design of a 51-Star United States flag will have to wait until enough support can be gathered in Congress to pass the bills, an unlikely prospect in the current climate in Washington.

The United States Navy originated 244 years ago as the Continental Navy in 1775. October 13 is the Navy's Birthday. Although it is not recognized as a national holiday and most businesses follow regular hours, naval personnel, veterans, and others related to the navy do observe the holiday. Usually, it is marked with a Navy Birthday Ball and a formal dinner, birthday cake, entertainment and, of course, the flying of the Flag of the United States Navy.

In October the Oxnard Police Department unfurled a pink California Bear Flag as part of its Pink Patch Project observations. The Pink Patch Project began in 2013 with the Seal Beach Police Department in Southern California. That year SBPD officers wore special pink patches on their uniforms during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and sponsored by the American Cancer Society and similar organizations worldwide.

Since then the Pink Patch Project has become a yearly event with many police agencies wearing special pink shoulder patches for the month to support breast cancer research.

The program has expanded to include hundreds of emergency response agencies including police, sheriff, fire, EMS, and federal departments worldwide.

Of course, this is October and it ends with Halloween. For those seeking flag to fly in commemoration, you might enjoy a quick visit to the Vexibit for October 2018 and the Flags for Halloween.

Vexibits for September 2019 - Zero Calories, VJ Day, and Constitution Pride Flags

September seems sometimes to be all about calorie-laden foods: we have National Waffle Week (Sept. 1–8), National Cheese Pizza Day (Sept. 5), National Beer Lover's Day (Sept. 7), National Wiener Schnitzel Day (Sept. 9), National Linguine Day (Sept. 15), National Guacamole Day (Sept. 16), National Cheeseburger Day (Sept. 18), National Pepperoni Pizza Day (Sept. 20), and National Ice Cream Cone Day and National White Chocolate Day (both on Sept. 22). Then we have National Cherries Jubilee Day (Sept. 24), National Lobster Day (Sept. 25), National Dumpling Day and National Pancake Day (both on Sept. 26), German Sandwich Day (Sept. 27), National Drink Beer Day (Sept. 28), and National Coffee Day (Sept. 29), to name a few. September is also National Chicken Month, National Honey Month, National Papaya Month, and interestingly enough National Cholesterol Education Month. So, yes, we have a flag for you to combat all this.

According to Paul Bassinson, the Zero Calorie Flag, designed by artist Tim Davis, a part of an exhibit entitled "Like Sugar", located at the Tang Teaching Museum of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, might be what you are looking for.

The description of the exhibit, written by Rachel Seligman, says: "What would the American flag look like in a parallel universe? Tim Davis suggests that our obsession with sweetness might rise to the level of national homage. In his reimagining of the American flag, three solid swathes of pink, blue, and yellow become a tribute to artificial sweeteners, our man-made alternatives to natural sugar. We pledge allegiance to Sweet and Low, Equal, and Splenda!"

The title “VJ Day” (Victory over Japan) is sometimes applied to August 15 because that is the first day of a two-day worldwide celebration that took place after the Empire of Japan announced it was surrendering - thus ending World War II. The holiday is also referred to as "Victory in the Pacific," or VP Day in Australia and it is celebrated each August 16. However, the formal surrender didn’t take place until September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay. This happened aboard the USS Missouri when the surrender papers were signed. Historians and vexillologists recognize this date as the actual official end of World War II.

This simple red "V" on a navy blue fielded VJ Flag was released to celebrate the historic event. The imprint on the flag's header shows it was made at Mare Island in 1944. Chief Walter Dougherty (QMC), a World War II vet, said this flag was approved by President Roosevelt to be flown by all Navy units and bases on the day Japan surrendered. GMC Ret. David "Tim" Lake served on the battleship Pennsylvania (BB-38) from 1941 through 1946. The "Pennsy" was flagship of the Pacific Fleet for much of the war. Chief Lake remembers this flag being flown when the ship returned to the states after the war. Unfortunately, no flag manufacturer has made this flag available for display today. See WWII VJ Day Victory Flag for an actual picture of the flag and more information.

The members of the Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia. Today we celebrate the event each year on September 17 as Constitution Day. In 2015 the Constitution Pride Flag was released. This flag has gained some popularity among a mixed group of those wishing to show support for the principles found in the United States Constitution, and feel freedom and liberty are under attack by both the extreme right and left. It has become especially popular with Tea Party members and has been seen displayed by them along with their usual favorite - the Gadsden Flag.

Francis Hopkinson reported in detail that on the 4th of July in 1788, the people of Philadelphia celebrated the Declaration of Independence and the establishment of the Constitution in a Grand Federal Procession. According to Hopkinson, while representing the "Convention of the States" the honorable Peter Muhlenburg carried a blue flag on horseback with the words "SEVENTEENTH OF SEPTEMBER, 1787" in silver letters. No illustrations of the flag now exist, but perhaps it looked similar to the modern replica.

This Seventeenth of September flag is now being sold honoring the event and provides another possibly for displaying on Constitution Day.

Vexibits for August 2019 - Sunsets in British Columbia and Recent Puerto Rican Protests

Proposed British Columbia Flag 1901

It was said that "the sun never sets on the British Empire", but apparently it nearly did between 1901 and 1906. The British Empire had become the largest empire in history in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and thus the sun was always shining on at least one of its territories. The British monarch ruled over 412 million people, about 23% of the world's population, and held 24% of the Earth's total land area. So some felt concern when the proposed provincial flag of British Columbia arrived at the Royal College of Arms in 1901.

The initial proposal, based on the then-current unofficial arms, had a half-sun (representing BC's western location) in the top half and a Union Jack in the bottom half. The heralds of the college were appalled when they realized that the design might be interpreted as the sun setting on the British Empire. "I've always been intrigued by the B.C. flag and those comments about the sun above or below the Union Jack. I know that refers only to the arms (19th century heraldry), but the flag is also a banner of arms", commented Rob Raeside, noted Canadian vexillologist and Director of Flags of the World.

"The arms were granted on 31 March 1906 by Edward VII ...and replaced the earlier unofficial version which the College of Arms found unacceptable. These older arms can still be seen in a stained-glass window in the Legislative Building in Victoria, B.C. They were similar to the modern arms but had the Union Flag in the base, with the setting sun above it. The reason given for swapping the two elements around was that 'the sun never sets on the British Empire' which is what the heralds felt the old arms symbolized!" according to Graham Bartram, Chief Vexillologist of the Flag Institute and consultant to the British government on flag design and usage.

Adopted British Columbia Flag 1906

However, some have commented that the approved version now looks as if the sun is roasting the British Union Jack instead. Perhaps we should leave this design conundrum and move on to some interesting variant flags of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeast Caribbean Sea.

As thousands of protestors demonstrated in San Juan in week-long demonstrations against Puerto Rico's Governor Ricardo “Ricky” Roselló, a black and white version of the Puerto Rican flag appeared among the red, white, and blue territorial flags. Demonstrators calling for Governor Rosselló's resignation used the black and white flag as an expression of their unhappiness with the island's current political situation and worsening financial crisis. Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States; since 1948 the island's governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico.

Throughout the protests this black and white variant accompanied the national flag. First seen on 4 July 2016, painted on a wall of an abandoned building in Old San Juan, the black and white Puerto Rican flag represented an “act of resistance” according to vexillologist Carlos A. Morales-Ramirez in his recent article "Variant Flags of Puerto Rico: Red, White, Blue...and Black, and Gold" appearing in The Vexilloid Tabloid, the newsletter of the Portland Flag Association. (The Vexilloid Tabloid, Issue 77, August 2019, p. 8–9)

The black and white flag was embraced as a symbol of resistance and civil disobedience and as a mourning flag.

Carlos, a NAVA member, also described a gold and white version of the national flag that has appeared in street art in various municipalities of the island. It was first created in 2016 for an advertising campaign from Open Mobile, a cellphone company in Puerto Rico, after tennis star Monica Puig won the first Olympic gold medal for the island in the 2016 summer games in Rio de Janeiro. This gold and white version of the national flag has come to symbolize all victories of Puerto Ricans on and off the island.

All three flags are painted on a wall in La Parguera in the municipality of Lajas. Perhaps best summarizing what these flags have come to mean to the island's population are these words written next to one such painting, “Thank you for painting it gold and for making our flag shine again.”

The gold and white flag has been embraced as a symbol of hope and resolve for a brighter future.

Vexibits for July 2019 - Remembering those Deployed, Colored Troops, and Buffalo Soldiers

It seems appropriate this month as those of us in the United States celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and remember those who fought for our freedoms following that event that we also honor those who still serve around the world. An organization named "Remember Everyone Deployed", or "RED" for short, shows support for deployed service members by encouraging all to wear red each Friday until all troops return home to their families.

The red and black Remember Everyone Deployed flag, a design possibly influenced by the thin line flags so prevalent today, is flown in support of their program.

In July we also look back on those who served with honor and determination during and after the U.S. Civil War, a group largely ignored by most Americans. In 1865 the "Colored" Ladies of Baltimore made and presented this flag to the Colored Troops of the 4th Regiment in thanks for their service. Over 180,000 black men served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

In 1866, the United States Congress authorized the first peacetime all-black regiments in the regular United States Army to serve in the west after the Civil War.

They were formed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments and the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments. They became known as Buffalo Soldiers in the Indian Wars fought between 1875 and 1890, a nickname given to the Black Cavalry by the Cheyenne and Apache because of their fierce fighting qualities and the texture of their skin and hair. Even though they faced discrimination in and out of the military, the black soldiers carried themselves with pride, humility, and dignity. Buffalo Soldiers were the last U.S. troops to carry an actual U.S. Flag into battle.

In honor of these brave Americans and their service, July 28 each year has been named Buffalo Soldiers Day. The segregated regiments were all disbanded during the 1940s and 1950s as the armed forces of the United States embraced integration. The oldest living Buffalo Soldier, Mark Matthews, was 111 years old when he died on September 6, 2005. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Today reenactors, historians, or those simply wishing to honor the Buffalo Soldiers can find hats, uniforms, cavalry guidons, replica flags, and other collectibles are available.

Vexibits for June 2019 - The Environmental and Historical Flags of June

June is an interesting month and there are many days that flags could help celebrate, both environmental and historical.

For the three environmental days in June, some sort of Earth Flag would suffice to celebrate them; however there is no official Earth Day Flag recognized by any official governmental organization because there is no official governing body over Earth. However, the "Flag of Earth" could be used as one possibility for World Environment Day (June 5th). It was designed by an Illinois farmer named James Cadle shortly after the first manned landing on the moon in 1969. The flag has been associated with Earth Day and environmental awareness ever since first sold in 1970. It consists of a blue circle, representing the earth, on a black background.

To the left is a segment of a large yellow circle, representing the sun. On the lower right is a small white circle, representing the moon. It was meant to be a flag for all nations and yet a flag of no nation. The flag had no political, cultural or geographical affiliations. It was made by the Paramount Flag Company of San Francisco in the 1970s and 1980s.

Another possibility would be the Earth Flag that was created for the first Earth Day in San Francisco in 1970. It was designed by John McConnell and is a photographic image of the earth taken during the flight of Apollo 10 in 1969, the original was viewed from above the Indian Ocean just east of the Cape of Good Hope, on a background of dark blue. Margaret Mead really made the Earth Flag the icon it has become today. She literally carried it with her wherever she went. A variant popular in the Western Hemisphere is a version that shows North and a portion of South America. The original version is harder to find, but the Americans-view variant is still sold by flag companies today.

June 8 is World Ocean Day an annual celebration held to better understand and celebrate the Earth's oceans. The Ocean Project has promoted and coordinated events for the day since 2002, and the United Nations first recognized World Oceans Day in 2008.

In 2012 a “Big Catch Flag Tournament” was held as part of the International Environmental Art Festival in Japan. At the 8th International Aquarium Congress, which took place in Cape Town in September, two winning designs were officially handed to Dr. Patrick Garratt, Director of the Two Oceans Aquarium, by Yoshitaka Abe, Director of the Aquamarine Fukushima in Japan. Flying one of these two flags would certainly attract questions regarding World Oceans Day.

June 15 is Global Wind Day is a day when wind energy is celebrated, information is exchanged and adults and children find out about wind energy, its power and the possibilities it holds to change the world. In 2011, there were events organized in 30 countries, on 4 continents. Events included visits to onshore and offshore wind farms, information campaigns, demonstration turbines being set up in cities, wind workshops and a wind parade. In 2012 there were 250 events around the globe and a very popular photo competition. This looks like another day to fly the Earth Flag.

Now for the historical. On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion took place in Normandy, considered the largest amphibious assault in history and one which many historians consider the turning point of World War II. This year, 2019, is the 75th Anniversary of Operation Overload and a special flag has been issued to celebrate it.

June 14th is named US Army Birthday Observance Day. The U.S Army Birthday is a day for the Army, soldiers, veterans and their families to celebrate the day on which the first United States Army was formed – the Continental Army in 1775. This is when the Congress of the United States established the First Continental Army on June 14, 1775. There are several versions of a Flag of the United States Army, which was officially adopted by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 by executive order.

The flag displays a blue replica of the War Office Seal set on a white field. Beneath the seal is a broad scarlet scroll bearing the inscription in white letters, "United States Army.” Beneath the scroll, in blue Hindu-Arabic numerals, is "1775,” the year in which the Continental Army was created with the appointment of George Washington as General of the Army. All of this is on a white background.

A variant flag of the United States Army flag on a blue field features a replica of the War Office Seal set in white on the blue field. Beneath the seal is a broad white scroll bearing the inscription in red letters, "UNITED STATES ARMY.” Beneath the scroll, in white sans serif Arabic numerals, is "1775.” Naturally either of these flags would do the trick. There are also modern Army recruitment flags in use, such as this one.

June 14 is Flag Day and any version of the United States flag, historical or modern would do. For many possibilities visit: The Many Constellations of Old Glory, or Official United States Flags. For a wonderful flag chart in PDF format, get A Diversity of Stars and Stripes that vexillologist Dave Martucci compiled using 225 flag images.

June 16th is Bunker Hill Day but not a public holiday. It falls on Sunday, June 16, 2019, and most businesses follow regular Sunday opening hours in the United States. Bunker Hill Day commemorates an important part of American history.

On the nights of June 16-17, 1775, the Americans fortified Breed's Hill, located next to Bunker Hill, which overlooked Boston Harbor.

Although they had not officially declared their independence, a fight for control of the hills became necessary. When the British advanced up the slope the next day, according to legend they saw a red flag, but we have no real knowledge of which American Flag was actually flown in this battle. But John Trumbull, whose paintings of Revolutionary War scenes are quite famous, talked to eye-witnesses and his subsequent painting depicting the battle displayed the Continental flag as shown here.

However many historians think the flag more likely to have been at the battle, if any, was the more common First New England Naval Ensign. Somehow this battle became known as the Battle of Bunker Hill even though it was fought on Breed's Hill.

Be aware that there is also a so-called "Bunker Hill Flag" with a blue field. This was the result of an error made by a publisher a couple of hundred years ago. On a flag book this flag, representing New England, was correctly printed with heraldic hatching clearly indicating a red field, but it was hand-colored blue by mistake.

June 19 is Juneteenth, also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day. It is an American holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas, and more generally the emancipation of enslaved African Americans throughout the former Confederate States of America. Its name is a combination of "June" and "nineteenth,” the date of its celebration. And it has a flag to celebrate the occasion.

Credit for the creation of the original Juneteenth Flag goes to Ben Haith, the former Massachusetts Juneteenth State Director and, in 1997, the founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation (NJCF). The original flag was raised in Boston, Massachusetts, in 2000. The tradition of raising the Juneteenth Flag at the Dillaway Thomas House in the Roxbury Heritage Park on every June 19 continues to this day.

Enjoy the flags of June.

Vexibits for May 2019 - Veterans Remembered and Extinction

May in the United States is for looking back and remembering those who served and those who died. May 8th is "V-E Day" remembering the end of the fighting during World War II in Europe. Then on the third Saturday in May "Armed Forces Day" is celebrated. The last Monday in May is "Memorial Day" (the national flag half-staff until noon) so the flag flying Vexillologist is challenged to find which flags to fly. For May 8th one obvious answer is the 50th Anniversary of World War II Flag.

The United States Department of Defense issued this flag as the first of an officially sanctioned set of commemorative flags designed to honor and commemorate the 50th anniversaries of modern American military campaigns and those who served in them. We also have individual flags for each branch of the military - Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard - all of whom serve under one national flag. We even have a flag that pays homage to our missing in action and prisoners of war, but what about for our veterans themselves? There are organizational flags like those for the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. There are flags for those who served in individual conflicts (such as the World War II flag shown above), but what about the veteran in general, both living and deceased?

The Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park Association provides one solution for this problem. They have created a flag for all Veterans. In their own words, "the flag depicts the founding of our nation by the thirteen stars that emanate from the hoist to the large red star that represents our Nation and the five branches of our country's military that defend her. The white star indicates the Veteran's dedication to service. The blue star honors all who serve in the military in the past, present, and future. The gold star memorializes those who fell defending our Nation. The green field represents the hallowed ground where all rest eternally."

And now a trip to the dark side...

A grassroots environmental movement that began in the United Kingdom as Extinction Rebellion (XR) in 2017 has now spread worldwide including to Canada and the United States. Under the name "Extinction Rebellion US" the group is pushing non-violent rebellion against the United States government for its "inaction on the ecological crisis."

They express growing concerns about climate change, ongoing ecological damage to the planet, and the threatened extinction of many animal species.

The flags the movement use at rallies and demonstrations are square with their logo printed in black on a variety of colored fields. Their logo is a stylized hour glass within a circle (the earth) indicating "time is running out." With recent news releases it is a bit of a sobering topic. You can see more color variants at Historical Flags of Our Ancestors if interested.

Vexibits for April 2019 - White Earth Nation, Earth Day and the Prime Meridian

White Earth Nation Flag

Peggy Flanagan is the 50th and current Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. Her election on November 6, 2018, made her the second Native American woman to ever be elected to a statewide executive office in the United States. She also became the first racial minority woman to be elected to a statewide office in Minnesota.

When Governor Tim Walz spoke at his first capitol news conference the Ojibwe (Chippewa) White Earth Band flag was behind him officially recognizing the importance of the tribal membership of his Lieutenant governor.

Apparently the flag of the White Earth Nation will be placed alongside the United States and Minnesota flags in the governor's office in the State Capitol Building and other official gatherings.

Earth Day and the Prime Meridian Flag

April is the month when Earth Day is celebrated in the United States. Earth Day was first proposed by John McConnell in 1969 to the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco, California. After gaining its approval, he went on to obtain support from many others, including the United Nations Secretary General, U Thant.

The basic goal of Earth Day was and is to make the citizens of the world recognize their responsibility to care for our planet. It reminds that we all share the same planet and are encouraged to cooperate internationally to further that goal. Many designs for an Earth Flag have been proposed, but none officially recognized.

Perhaps international cooperation can be best demonstrated at the Prime Meridian where one can say all things on the planet begin, at least timewise.

Christopher Maddish, a NAVA member from Pennsylvania, designed a flag to represent the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian is the arbitrary dividing line between the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. For a brief time in 2017 (during the 27th International Congress of Vexillology), his blue, white, yellow, black, and orange flag waved over the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. On his design the central blue checkered pattern represents the center zero point of the prime meridian. The black and yellow horizontal stripes symbolize that when it is high noon at the prime meridian, the day has officially begun at midnight on the other side of the world.

Vexibit for March 2019 - What flag to fly for Saint Patrick's Day?

For most of the Irish World March means Saint Patrick's Day and its celebration. On St. Patrick's Day everyone is Irish. So what would be the perfect flag to fly? The obvious answer would be the Irish flag, correct? It is an Irish national holiday after all. But we are Vexillologists, so naturally we will have to agree to disagree on almost everything flag related. Here are a couple more of their suggestions.

We know Saint Patrick's feast day was already being celebrated by the Irish in Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries. In later times, Saint Patrick became more and more widely seen as the patron of Ireland. We are told orange represents Irish Protestants while green signifies Irish Catholics as well as the republican cause. White stands for the hope of bridging the gap and bringing peace between the two.

Erin go Braugh, is a term that mixes English with Irish, basically the anglicization of an Irish language phrase, Éirinn go Brách. It is most often translated as "Ireland Forever." So a second flag to consider would be the New York Civilian Irish Support Flag of 1850.

The Irish-Americans are perhaps one of the most closely associated ethnic groups to serve during the American Civil War. Over 150,000 of them joined the Union army and many more also joined the Confederate army.

Soldiers on both sides sang Irish songs around their camp fires, and Irish units became famous for their bravery under fire in battle. Unfairly despised and persecuted at home by the older generations of Americans, the Irish-American soldiers served with valor and bravery throughout the Civil War on both sides of the conflict. So another source of Irish flags would be any of the Irish Regimental flags such as those shown Historical Flags of Our Ancestors.

The traditional county of Leinster, one of the four historical Irish provinces in the east of Ireland, provides yet another possible flag to use on Saint Patrick's Day. The flag of Leinster features a very simple Irish Kelly Green field with a Golden Harp centered on it without any other distractions. It screams Ireland and not being well recognized in the United States will just seem Irish to the general public, perfect for the Saint Patrick's Day celebration.

If a more modern flag is your desire, then the Sully's Brand Irish Logo Flag might appeal to you. Sully's is a sports store long established in Boston. The Sully's Flag probably rivals the Irish National flags used to decorate Boston homes and streets. I understand that Sully's sometimes includes one of their flags free with any orders during the month of March, check it out.

Go for the Green - Erin Go Bragh!

For those wanting a lesser known or recognized flag you might want to fly the "Starry Plough" on your Saint Patrick's Day vexillogical display. This flag is less recognizable to the uninformed and not the traditional green and gold, but very Irish in content. It features a constellation of white stars on a plain light blue or bluish green backdrop or field. It dates back to 1913 and the troubles between Irish labor and the Dublin police. There-in-sued a police attack on demonstrating and striking workers where two people were killed.

Trade union leaders then formed a paramilitary organization called the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) with the intention of providing protection for labor demonstrations. By 1914 the ICA were armed, had uniforms, and a flag they called "the starry plough." The shade of bluish green matched the color of the Irish Citizen Army's uniform. Two years later the ICA took part in the larger 1916 Rebellion. The Starry Plough was captured by British forces but in 1966 on the fiftieth anniversary of the rebellion the British returned it to the Irish and it is now part of the historical collection in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. Illustrated here is a modern manufacturer's variant of the flag.

Another non-green Irish flag to consider would be the red and white Saint Patrick's Cross Flag. In 1782 the British recognized the Irish parliament's right to be the legislature of Ireland. To reflect their new status the Order of Saint Patrick was established in 1783. The Knights of Saint Patrick used a red saltire on a white background on their regalia. After the union with Britain in 1801, the St Patrick's Cross continued to be featured in the arms and flags adopted by various non-political professional and public bodies during the 19th century.

The St. Patrick's Cross became a "safe" national symbol which was not associated with the nationalism and revolution of the harp.

Vexibit for February 2019 - California is beneath us

During a discussion of the prospective redesigns of the Oregon state flag during the Portland Flag Association meeting of May, 2017, Ted Kaye proposed a version based on the neighbor to the south. The Bear Flag — with the state animal, a star, a stripe, and the state's name plus "Republic" — could easily provide a format for a new Oregon flag. Naturally the California Bear would be replaced with the Oregon Beaver, with California's red stripe and star reproduced in a forest green.

Vexillologist Rob Raeside, the Director of Flags of the World, reports that one of his classmates at University of Calgary was assigned to map the Nares Strait back in the 1970s. He skied across to Hans Island from Ellesmere, tenting on the ice, and reportedly reading a textbook on thermodynamics to put him to sleep in the 24-hour daylight. Perhaps the final solution of which flag to use could be one found in the science of Vexillology?

Since the island has been part of the Inuit hunting grounds of both northern Greenland and Canada since the 14th century, the correct flag flying over Hans Island is obvious to this vexillologist. One would further suggest the Inuit should also claim the island, leaving their flag, and maybe their traditional drink — a glass of water?

Send Vexibits suggestions to the Website Editor - webeditor@nava.org