Navy Signal Flags? and another unknown? flag

[Yancy Irwin]

my grandfather was in the Navy for 35 years and these were in one of his sea trunks (i have 2 from him) are the first pair signal flags (he was a signalman) and anyone have any ideas about the green flag.its about 4x4 ft ,the stars are sewn on.

[Yancy Irwin]

2

[sigsaye]

Yes, the first set are Semephore flags, and a very nice set too :thumbsup: I have seen a referance for the green flag some place, but can't remember where. I believe it is some sort of Counselor or duty flag. It is no longer used for what it's worth.

 

Steve Hesson

Retired Senior Chief Signalman

[Yancy Irwin]

thanks for the info,i have his 2 sea trunks full of stuff from 1929-1965,some amazeing stuff in there,i barely started looking over all of it.Im sure when i get everything sorted out i will post more pics of his stuff other than the one small thread i started a few years back (before i actually had all his stuff,the pictures i took are what my dad brought to my house for a holiday vacation)

[sigsaye]

I'm looking forward to it. Nothing is as good as Navy Signalman gear :thumbsup:

 

Steve hesson

[macvsog]

I will totally agree with that comment! Can you remember just how many flag there were for commo on a ship? I am curious?

 

I saw an episode on one of R. Lee Ermy's shows (now I remember, it was "Mail Call!) where he was being taught how to use them from a Coast Guardsman. He lost it shortly thereafter and I was lost in the beginning? Also, to add further confusion, can the same flags in both hands be moved in different directions to mean something else by the signalman? Or, am I just insane and talking about 2 or 3 different duties on board and different occupations?

 

Sir, Guys, Please forgive me for my ignorance on this very interesting subject. Especially you, sigsaye.

 

 

 

Mark

MACVSOG "Living Historian"

[sigsaye]

I will totally agree with that comment! Can you remember just how many flag there were for commo on a ship? I am curious?

 

I saw an episode on one of R. Lee Ermy's shows (now I remember, it was "Mail Call!) where he was being taught how to use them from a Coast Guardsman. He lost it shortly thereafter and I was lost in the beginning? Also, to add further confusion, can the same flags in both hands be moved in different directions to mean something else by the signalman? Or, am I just insane and talking about 2 or 3 different duties on board and different occupations?

 

Sir, Guys, Please forgive me for my ignorance on this very interesting subject. Especially you, sigsaye.

Mark

MACVSOG "Living Historian"

first off, my conputer died and I'm using my daughters lap top so have no refs. There are 64 different signal flags for use in flaghoist. Some are for Former Soviet. For a short time, there was also one just for US Navy use. These proceedures also translated into flashing light (Mores Code) and Semaphore. With the semephore hand flags move all around the body to make all the alphebet latters.

 

OK, during WW2, there were several different flags, and slightly different proceedures, but the basics were the same. It generally takes about 18 months of constant daily pratice to get to the basic profeciency with flashing light and semaphore for the SM 3 leval.

 

the semephore flags currently "Oscar" flags. At one time "PAPA" and "Sierra" flags were also used. You were to use the flags that contrasted most with your back groung. there is a referance in "Wikipedia" and a popular series of books on Naval Uniforms which was recently published, which states that Oscars were used on ships and PAPAs were used ashore. this is totally false. I learned the trade from a WW 2 SM who had a set of PAPAs that were his personal flags. All others are now OSCARs.

 

Steve Hesson