U.S. 48 star flag from the USS Arizona, December 7th 1941
The history of this 48 star wool U.S. flag is that it was conveyed to the family Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, the Commander of Battleship Division One, U.S. Pacific Fleet, at the time of a 1942 memorial service held at the U.S. Naval Academy. His remains were never recovered, a cenotaph was erected at the cemetery of the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, MD.
The Admiral was last standing at his station on the bridge of the USS Arizona, directly aft of the two forward turrets, the area of the fatal explosion, an act for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. After the flag's recovery it is likely that it was laundered before it was given to his widow, Mrs. Inez Kidd, with other effects recovered from the Admiral's cabin.
This 48 star U.S. flag, marked with the per-WWII identification "USS ARIZONA" was recovered from the hulk of the USS Arizona. It is only one of three known U.S. ensigns recovered from the USS Arizona, after she received her final blow during the surprise "sneak" Japanese attack on December 7, 1941.
After examination, consultation and subsequent research the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC) has theorized two possibilities for this flag and a Code Baker signal flag (ZFC3842) which were either in or on the USS Arizona.
The first possibility is that this ensign was in a submerged compartment or flag storage locker in the sunken stern of the USS Arizona, perhaps in "officer's country", where it was later recovered by U.S. Navy salvage divers or other personnel. This would explain the pattern of stains and color transference, which clearly indicate that this flag was folded while wet, or folded in storage and became wet, either below deck or on storage on deck
A second possibility is that the flags were displayed on the Arizona or teh Admiral's Barge, at the time of the attack and were damaged by concussion and later immersion with what appears to be damaged from heat or fire as well as immersion. In either event the flags need to be followed up with microscopic and forensic organic analysis, which may help this flag give up its secrets.
The ensign exhibits both damage and crocking or dye transfer and is heavily stained with some of the threads joining the seams separated, perhaps from the effects of immersion into the "toxic soup" that the waters of Pearl Harbor became after the attack when the vessel filled with a mixture of seawater, fuel "Bunker-C" oil, aviation gasoline, hydraulic fluids, and unexploded cordite, the deleterious effects of which are readily apparent.
The flag's hoist markings are appropriate to the period as a known pre-war and early war practice. As research continues into this and the other known USS Arizona, flags it is hoped that more will be revealed about the pre-attack uses for the flag.
Provenance:
• U.S.S. Arizona, recovered from the ship after the 7 December 1941 attack and sinking, 1941.
• Mrs. Isaac Kidd [Inez Nellie Gilmore Kidd (1888-1978)], wife of Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd, conveyed to her at the time of his memorial, until her passing, circa 1978 estate sale.
• Steve Slaght, Militaria Collector, 1978 - 1996.
• The War Museum, New York City, 1996 - 2013
• Sold via Bonham's of New York City, NY to Zaricor Flag Collection, 2013.
Sources:
The University of Arizona Library, USS Arizona - Objects from UA Library Special Collections, 9 April 2013, from: http://www.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/ussarizona/exhibits/objects/objects.html
National Park Service, World War II Valor in the Pacific, 9 April 2013, from:
http://www.nps.gov
USS Arizona (BB-39), Wikipedia, 9 April 2012, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Arizona_%28BB-39%29
Stillwell, Paul, Battleship Arizona, Annapolis, U.S. Naval Institute Press, 1991.
Jasper, Joy; James Delgado & James Adams, The U.S.S. Arizona, New York, St. Martin's, 2003.
Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC) Archives, 2013.
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
Bonhams
