Question about Late 1950s USN Signal Flags

[stratasfan]

Here is a post totally unrelated to forum fixing!  My Grampa was a signalman on the USS Salem  from 1954-58. He won awards for precision and speed sending flag signals. What would the signal flags have looked like? I'd like to try and get one or two for a display, but I know absolutely nothing about signal flags! So, any info would be appreciated and of interest! Thanks in advance!

Elizabeth

[TheCrustyBosun]

1 hour ago, stratasfan said:

Here is a post totally unrelated to forum fixing!  My Grampa was a signalman on the USS Salem  from 1954-58. He won awards for precision and speed sending flag signals. What would the signal flags have looked like? I'd like to try and get one or two for a display, but I know absolutely nothing about signal flags! So, any info would be appreciated and of interest! Thanks in advance!

Elizabeth

He probably excelled at semaphore signals. Semaphore is a signal system that uses two hand-held flags displayed in various combinations of positions. The rating indicator for signalman is shown below.  

 

[stratasfan]

Oh, thanks so much for the picture of the rating! So, would the pair of flags have been red? The only time I've seen Semaphore is in the movies, and black & white.