This
US Army flag became official on June 13, 1956. Then Vice President
Richard Nixon presented it to Secretary of the Army Wilber M.
Brucker. Until then, various elements of the Army, from groups
and corps to separate battalions had their own flags, but none
had served for the Army as a whole. The Army flag was designed
by the Heraldic Branch, Office of Research and Engineering, and
the Office of the Quartermaster General. The flag is made of
white, with a blue replica of the official seal of the War Office*.
Beneath the seal is a scarlet scroll with the words, "United
States Army" in white letters. The number, "1775",
the year in which the Army was created, appears beneath the scroll.
* The seal of the War Office is described as
follows: a cannon in front of a drum with two drumsticks; below
the cannon three cannon balls. (revolutionary war type) A mortar
on a trunion and below the mortar, two powder flasks. (flasks
are also revolutionary war type) In the center a Roman breastplate
over a jupon (leather jacket). Above the breastplate rises a
plain sword with the pommel and guard supporting a Phrygin cap
(traditional symbol of liberty) between an esponton (pike) and
an organizational color on one side and a musket with a fixed
bayonet and the National color on the other side. Above is a
rattlesnake holding in its mouth a scroll inscribed, "This
We'll Defend." |
