USS Texas, 7 Star Commission Pennant, 1928.
This is a small No. 8, 7 star Commission Pennant from the USS Texas. It is too small to have been used on a battleship the size of the USS Texas, but was likely used on the captains' gig or any small boat bearing the captain as the commission pennant is the personal mark of a captain when embarked in a small boat.
Interesting Group of Items from the 1928 Cruise of the Battleship USS Texas. The USS Texas, commissioned in 1914, promptly saw action in Mexican waters following the "Tampico Incident" and escorting convoys during World War I. She resumed her role of escorting convoys in World War II and provided supporting naval gunfire for the landings in North Africa and Normandy. After transferring to the Pacific, she supported the landings at both Iwo Jima and Okinawa. She was decommissioned in 1948, having earned five battle stars, and is currently a museum ship near Houston. The USS Texas was the first battleship to be declared a National Historic Landmark. Included with the group is a 21" x 10" map of the cruise which took place between January 8 and June 28, 1928, a 7" x 5" photograph of the ship underway, a silk enlisted man's hat ribbon stenciled in gilt "U. S. S. TEXAS", and a 50" wool bunting pennant with five stars. The pennant is 2" wide at the canvas hoist, which employs a single brass grommet and is stenciled N 8, the pennant tapers to 1" at the tip. All items in fine condition. An attractive grouping nicely presented in an archaically prepared frame.
ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed
Sources:
National Colors: Ensign, Jack, and Commission Pennant, Sea Flags, 14 November 2011, from: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeohzt4/Seaflags/ensign/Ensign.html
Navy - Command and Commissioning Pennants (U.S.), Wikipedia, 14 November 2011, from: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us%5Envcp.html
Commissioning Pennant, NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER, 14 November 2011, from: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq106-1.htm
Battleship TEXAS, 14 November 2011, from: http://www.usstexasbb35.com/ship%27s_history.htm
USS Texas , Wikipedia, 14 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29
Tampico Affair, Wikipedia, 14 November 2011:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampico_Affair
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
