WW2 US Navy Signal Flags

[duarte1223]

I picked these signal flags up from the flea market this morning. According to the seller, they were from a USS New Jersey Vet from WW2. I got the vet's phone number, but so far no one has picked up.

 

I trust the seller and everything, especially since he gave me the phone number, and I've dealt with him before, but I just wanted to make sure they were WW2, and not later, just something the veteran picked up later in life.

 

Thanks,

Adam

[duarte1223]

The cloth is nailed to the wood.

[duarte1223]

Here's the only damage on the flags other than the wearing.

[duarte1223]

Any thoughts?

[Bob Hudson]

Everything I've read indicates the Navy used red and yellow semaphore flags, which is the flag for the letter "O" in the International Code of Signals. I have seen photos of Boy Scouts using red and white flags with the diagonal. I learned semaphore at Boy Scout camp in the 60's but cannot recall what the flags looked like.

 

The Army used red and white but with squares of color (think Signal Corps crossed flags insignia).

 

Here's a section of a vintage postcard made from an official USN photo: