3 Star Flag - Army Lieutenant General Ridgway.

U.S. Army Lieutenant General Personal Flag, Gen. Ridgway, Deputy Chief of Staff, Pentagon, 1945-1951.
Although the United States Army had used a system of identifying commanders in the field, that system identified the command echelon of the officer without specifying his rank. By World War I, the Army had adopted another flag system that merely indicated the rank of the officer flying the flag. The system employed was simple: using a plain red rectangular field, the general's rank insignia was applied in white in the center, with a single star representing a brigadier-general, two stars representing a major-general, three stars representing a lieutenant-general, and so on. This flag was used by Lieutenant-General Mathew B. Ridgway while in command of United Nations forces on the Korean Peninsula in 1950-1952.



Cover of Life magazine from May 12, 1952, showing General Ridgway. Time Life Pictures/Getty Images.

This flag accompanied Ridgway when he was commander of the 18th Airborne Corps; serving in the Philippines (1945), a deputy to Gen. Douglas MacArthur; serving in the Mediterranean Theatre until the fall of 1945; serving as the U.S. Army representative on the military staff committee of the United Nations in New York from 1946 to 1948; given charge of Caribbean Command, controlling U.S. forces in the Caribbean in 1948; assigned to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for administration of the U.S. Army at the Pentagon in 1949; appointed commander of the 8th Army in Korea in 1950.

3-Star US General's Flag of General Mathew B. Ridgway in WWII. White stars on field of red. Circa 1945.

Exhibition History
First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC1273)
United States Army General Officers Designating Flag Of Lieutenant-General

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY VI
(ZFC1273)
United States Army Officers Designating Flag Lt.-General Matthew B. Ridgway

Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 129.

Provenance:
• Lieut. General Matthew Ridgway, 1945 - 1951.
• Retained by Gen, Ridgway as memento of service until passing, 1993.
• Sold via Dargate Auctions, Pittsburgh, PA to agent Chris Donaghue Books, San Francisco, CA on behalf of Zaricor Flag Collection, 1997.

ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

Sources:

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Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006.

Haggard, John V. , Flag Making Tradition at the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot, 12 November 2011, from: http://www.qmfound.com/Flag_Making_Philadelphia_Depot.htm

General Officer Flags, The Institute of Heraldry, 12 November 2011, from: http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/UniformedServices/Flags/Gen_Officer_Flags.aspx

US Army Regulations No. 260-10, Flags, colors, standards, and Guidons: Descriptions and Use, Washington, DC. War Department, 1931.

Matthew Bunker Ridgway, Wikipedia, 13 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Ridgway

Matthew Bunker Ridgway, Arlington National Cemetery website, 13 November 2011, from: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ridgway.htm

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	40
Length of Fly	35.5

Stars
Comments on Star Measurements	horizontal row
Size of Stars	10

Stripes
Size of Hoist	2.5

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	42
Frame Length	56

Stars
Number of Stars	3
How are the stars embeded?	Sewn
Are there stars on obverse?	yes
Are there stars on reverse?	yes

Stripes
Color of Top Stripe	Red
Color of Bottom Stripe	Red
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Wool

Stitching
Stitching	Machine

Thread
Thread Material	Cotton

Attachment
Method of Attachment	Sleeve

Applica
Applique Sides	Double Sided = Two sides different

Documentation
Documents
Public Copy & Signs

Condition
Condition	Excellent
Damage	used, worn, torn
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1945 to 1951

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC1273) United States Army General Officers Designating Flag Of Lieutenant-General Mathew B. Ridgeway During The Korean War Date: 1950-1952 Medium: Cotton; machine sewn Comment: Although the United States Army had used a system of identifying commanders in the field, that system identified the command echelon of the officer without specifying his rank. By World War I, the Army had adopted another flag system that merely indicated the rank of the officer flying the flag. The system employed was simple: using a plain red rectangular field, the general's rank insignia was applied in white in the center, with a single star representing a brigadier-general, two stars representing a major-general, three stars representing a lieutenant-general, and so on. This flag was used by Lieutenant-General Mathew B. Ridgeway while in command of United Nations forces on the Korean Peninsula in 1950-1952. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1273) in 1997 from the estate of General Ridgeway. The exhibition text was written by Howard Michael Madaus, Exhibition Director of the ZFC's Flag Center, utilizing Zaricor Flag Collection archives Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY VI (ZFC1273) United States Army Officers Designating Flag Lt.-General Matthew B. Ridgeway Date: 1945 Media: Cotton, machine-sewn Comment: Although the U. S. Army had long used a system of identifying commanders in the field, that system identified the command echelon of the officer without specifying his rank. By World War I, the Army had adopted an alternative system that indicated the rank of the officer flying the flag. The scheme employed was simple: using a plain red rectangular field, the generals rank insignia was applied in white in the center, with a single star representing a brigadier-general, two stars representing a major-general, three stars representing a lieutenant-general, and so on. This flag was used by Lieutenant-General Matthew B. Ridgeway at the close of World War II, prior to his taking command of United Nations forces on the Korean Peninsula from 1950 to 1952. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1273) in 1997 from the estate of General Ridgeway. The exhibition text was written by Howard Michael Madaus, Exhibition Director of the ZFC's Flag Center, utilizing Zaricor Flag Collection archives

Publications

Publication Copy

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 129. United States Army General Officers Designating Flag Lieutenant-General Matthew B. Ridgway This flag was used by Lieutenant-General Matthew B. Ridgway from his appointment to that rank on 4 June 1945, at the close of World War II, until taking command of U. N. forces on the Korean Peninsula as a full general in April of 1951. Although the U. S. Army had long used a system of identifying commanders in the field, that system identified the command echelon of the officer without specifying his rank. By World War I, the Army had adopted an alternative system that indicated the rank of the officer flying the flag. The scheme employed was simple: using a plain red rectangular field, the general's rank insignia was applied in white in the center, with a single star representing a brigadier general, two stars representing a major-general, three stars representing a lieutenant-general, and so on. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president of the United States from the beginning of its involvement in World War II until he died on April 12, 1945. When Congress designated certain individuals as 5-star generals or admirals, it became necessary to alter the presidential flag which then bore only four stars for the commander- in-chief. Date: 1945 1951 Size: 35.5" hoist x 40" fly Medium: Rayon; machine-sewn Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1997 from the estate of General Ridgway. ZFC1273