U.S. 10 Star Service Flag - WWII.
The exact history of this Service Flag is unknown, but given it acquisition from a California military surplus store in proximity to Fort Ord it is likely that this flag was used by an institution on the central California costal area to indicate that 10 serving members of the US Armed Forces were associated with it.
Service Flags are an official flag of the US Government, whose use and display, although widespread and largely at will are actually controlled by the secretary of the Army, who is tasked with overseeing their design, construction and manufacture. Flags with larger numbers of start like this one were commonly used by churches, schools, colleges, fraternities, sororities, societies, and places of business, to show support for members serving in the US Armed Forces.
This Service Flag is marked with a black ink star on the upper hoist corner near the grommet; it is also cryptically inscribed TCW". Weather these are the initials of an institution or an individual remains unknown, but larger Service Flags like this one were generally used to bolster moral on the homefront. They were finished with heading and grommets for outdoor display on poles or display lines. However, if used indoors they were generally displayed in gymnasiums, halls or auditoriums If a member of the Service was killed, the star that was representative would be changed to gold.
Lineup of "shock troops;" volunteers who assisted farmers short of help, waiting under a Service Flag. Black and white photograph taken August 1, 1918. Motor Age.
This flag was framed in 2003 for exhibits at The SF Presidio Officer's Club in Jan/Feb and May Sept.
Exhibition History
First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC1019)
WORLD WAR II WAR SERVICE FLAG
Date: 1942-1945
Medium: Cotton; machine stitched
Comment: During World War I, a special War Service Flag for display on the home front was patented and widely distributed. The vertical banner, intended for display on walls, doors, or windows, consisted of a white field with a broad red border. On the white field, the home owner displaying the flag affixed as many blue, five-pointed stars, as household members in the service. If any household member died while in the service, the household had the right to replace the blue star with a gold star. (Other variations were also in vogue, but the blue and the gold stars were common to all of the regulations.) During World War II, the practice of using war service flags was revived, but it was also expanded to include institutions or businesses. Under those circumstances, the organization or company displayed a flag that incorporated blue (or gold) stars for every employee in the military service (or who had died in the service.)
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1019) in 1981 from Moss Landing, CA.
Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY VI
(ZFC1019)
World War II War Service Flag
Date: 19421945
Medium: Cotton; machine stitched
Comment: During World War I, a special War Service Flag for display on the home front was patented and widely distributed. The vertical banner, intended for display on walls, doors, or windows, consisted of a white field with a broad red border. On the white field, the home owner displaying the flag affixed as many blue, five-pointed stars, as household members in the service. If any household member died while in the service, the household had the right to replace the blue star with a gold star. Other variations were also in vogue, but the blue and the gold stars were common to all of the regulations. During World War II, the practice of using war service flags was revived, but it was also expanded to include institutions or businesses. Under those circumstances, the organization or company displayed a flag that incorporated blue (or gold) stars for every employee in the military service (or who had died in the service.)
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1019) in 1981 from Moss Landing, CA.
Deaccessed Bonhams Americana Auction - 31 January 2025 - Lot 203
Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 128.
Service Flag World War II
During World War I, a special Service Flag for display on the home front was patented and widely distributed. The vertical banner, intended for display on walls, doors, or windows, consisted of a white field with a broad red border. On the white field, the home
owner displaying the flag affixed as many blue, fivepointed stars, as there were household members in the armed forces. If any household member died while in the service, the household had the right to replace the blue star with a gold star. Other variations were also in vogue, but the blue and the gold stars were common to all of the regulations.
This special design has been used during World War I (1917 1918), World War II (1941 1945), the Korean War (1950 1952), the VietNam War (1965 1973), the first Gulf War (1991), and since the beginning of the War on Terrorism (2001).
Date: 1942 1945
Size: 47.5" hoist x 67.5" fly
Media: Wool bunting with cotton stars; machine-stitched
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1981 from Moss Landing, CA.
ZFC1019
ZFC Important Flag
Item is Framed
