50 Star U.S. Flag - Kontum Province, Vietnam.

50 Star U.S. Flag MAAG in Kontum Province, Vietnam 1960. Very early use of 50 star flag in the field.
In 1950 President Dwight sent the Military Advisory Assistance Group (MAAG) to Indochina to aid the French stationed in their colony of Vietnam. After the French withdrawal in 1954 the Unites States was left to continue the aid to the republic established in the southern half of the former colony. The MAAG advisers were not to engage in combat except to defend themselves. While technically serving under the flag of South Vietnam, many of the advisors took private purchase flags with them for unofficial display.

Previously this flag was thought to be synthetic. Note the faded diagonal striations caused by hanging motionless under a fierce tropical sun. In 1961 President John Kennedy replaced the MAAG with the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.

Exhibition History:
Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - Gallery VI
(LV101/ZFC0748)
50-Star United States Flag

Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 136.

Provenance: Acquired from the family of an African-American advisor who was "in country" in 1960. As such, it would be one of the earliest 50 star U.S. flags to see service in Vietnam.

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.

Military Assistance Advisory Group, Wikipedia, 12 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Assistance_Advisory_Group

Kon Tum province, Wikipedia, 12 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon_Tum_province

Hooch, Glossary of Military Terms & Slang from the Vietnam War, D-J, 12 November 2011, from: http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/sixties/HTML_docs/Resources/Glossary/Sixties_Term_Gloss_D_J.html

Martz , Colonel John D., Jr.The Story Behind A New Star for the Flag, US Army Quartermaster Foundation, 12 November 2011, from: http://www.qmfound.com/us_flag_49th_and_50th_star.htm

United States of America, Flags of the World, 12 November 2011, from: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us.html

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	23.5
Length of Fly	35

Union/Canton
Width of Union/Canton	12.5
Length of Union/Canton	15

Stars
Size of Stars	1.375

Stripes
Width of 1st Stripe	1.75
Width of 3rd Stripe	1.75
Width of 8th Stripe	1.75
Width of Last Stripe	1.625
Size of Hoist	1

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	28
Frame Length	39

Stars
Number of Stars	50
How are the stars embeded?	Printed
Are there stars on obverse?	yes
Are there stars on reverse?	yes

Stripes
Number of Stripes	13
Color of Top Stripe	Red
Color of Bottom Stripe	Red
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Nylon

Attachment
Comments on Method of Attachmen	One grommet missing.
Method of Attachment	Grommets

Documentation
Documents	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Drawings	All original documents and drawings are held in the Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.

Condition
Displayable	yes

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY VI (LV101/ZFC0748) 50-Star United States Flag Date: 1960 50 Stars: July 4, 1960-Present (Hawaii statehood August 21, 1959) Medium: Nylon or polyester Comment: Republicans sought to increase their chances in the 1960 elections by offering statehood to two long term territorial possessions. Alaska had been a territory of the United States since its purchase from Russia in 1867. On January 3, 1959, Alaska was granted statehood as the 49th state. On August 21, just six weeks after the official christening of the 49-star flag, Hawaii (which the United States had annexed in 1898) officially became the 50th state, although its star did not appear in the U.S. flag until July 4th, 1960. Ironically, the electoral votes of both states went to the Democratic nominee in the November 1960 elections. During President Eisenhower's second term of office (1956-1960), the United States became increasingly involved in the conflict for the unification and independence of the French territories in South East Asia now known as Vietnam. After the 1954 French defeat at Dien-Bien-Phu, American "advisors" increasingly worked with forces friendly to U. S. interests in southern Vietnam. During the Kennedy and Johnson presidencies, American involvement escalated. In 1973 American forces ignominiously withdrew in defeat. This flag is believed to have been used by an American advisor serving in Kontum Province in 1960. As such, it would be one of the earliest 50 star U.S. flags to see service in Vietnam.

Publications

Publication Copy

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 136. "50-Star United States Flag In 1950, during the presidency of Harry S Truman, the U.S. government sent the Military Advisory Assistance Group (MAAG) to Indochina to aid the French in their colony of Vietnam. After the French withdrawal in 1954 the United States continued aid to the republic established in the southern half of the former colony. The MAAG advisors were not to engage in combat except to defend themselves. While technically serving under the flag of the Republic of South Vietnam, many of the advisors took private purchase flags with them for unofficial display. This very early 50-star flag was used by an advisor assigned to the MAAG in Kontum Province, Vietnam, in 1960, during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Note the faded diagonal striations caused by hanging motionless under a fierce tropical sun.