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Military Veteran/Commemorative Flags (U.S.)

WWII Commemorative
Korean War Veteran
Korean War 50th Anniversary Commemorative
Vietnam Veterans of America
Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative
Vietnam Veterans Black flag
Vietnam Veterans Eagle Feather flag
War Dogs
Lest They Be Forgotten flag
Patriot flag

See also:

WWII Commemorative

image by Rick Wyatt, 19 March 2002

The device on this flag is the lapel pin presented at the end of World War II to all who served in the armed forces during the war. It was known jokingly as the "ruptured duck" by its recipients. IIRC, the original badge had a stars and stripes design on the circlet.
Joe McMillan, 19 March 2002

Korean War Veteran

image by Rick Wyatt, 10 December 2001

This flag is to be flown by those members of the United States Armed Force who served during the Korean War (1950-53). It is based on the Korean War campaign or service medal, which is United Nations blue with a white stripe; the color scheme was chosen because the United States, Commonwealth and other forces were engaged in a 'police action' authorized by a resolution of the United Nations Security Council. The ribbon for the service medal is also United Nations blue with a narrow white stripe. Military, naval, and air personnel of all nations participating in this conflict were also authorized to wear the United Nations service ribbon and medal, which consists of a series of vertical stripes in United Nations blue and white.
Ron Lahav, 26 November 2008

The Korean veterans flag, has eight stars, equal to the number of streamers (less UN operations) in that war.
Nathan Lamm, 10 December 2001

Korean War 50th Anniversary Commemorative

image by Zachary Harden, 2 June 2001

This is from the official KW50 site, hosted by the DoD:

"The 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Flag is symbolic of the unified effort of the United States, the Republic of Korea and our allies to stop Communist aggression on the Korean Peninsula 50 years ago. The light blue and white streamer that runs through the center of the flag is the U.N. Battle Streamer. The 22 stars represent the 22 allied nations that fought side-by-side to save South Korea. The words "Freedom is not Free" were added by our Veterans who, more than anyone else, know the great price of liberty. The flag is in both the English and Korean (Hangul) languages. In the center is the "Tae Guk" symbol from the South Korean flag, familiar to many as the symbol for the philosophy of Yin and Yang. In Korea, known as Eum and Yang, the symbol stands for peace and harmony. South Korea has adopted this as their official Commemoration Flag. The Institute of Heraldry assisted the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee with the design of the flag.

It is the goal of the Committee to see this flag flying in Commemoration Communities across the Nation to honor and thank the veterans of the Korean War, their families and most of all, those who lost loved ones."

submitted by: Zachary Harden, 2 June 2001

Vietnam Veterans of America

image by Rick Wyatt, 10 December 2001

Vietnam Veterans flag is yellow (based on the flag of South Vietnam), with the symbol of the Vietnam Veterans of America, enclosed in a wreath, at the fly, complete with a R-in-a-circle registered trademark beside it. The symbol can be seen at http://www.vva.org/ (subtract the R symbol, I guess, as it's alongside here). The central design is the Vietnam service medal ribbon, based on the South Vietnam flag. Most curiously, the flag had seventeen black stars alongside the hoist, arranged in vertical columns of 6-5-6 (as far as I could make out).
Nathan Lamm, 10 December 2001

Seventeen stars because the US military divides its involvement in Vietnam into 17 campaigns, which are reflected in the seventeen Vietnam campaign streamers on the Army and Air Force flags and the three silver and two bronze stars on the single Vietnam campaign streamers carried by the Navy and Marine Corps. I'd say there's a pretty good chance that the 17 stars on this flag represent the same thing.
Joe McMillan, 10 December 2001

Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative

image by Pete Loeser, 21 May 2015
source: www.vietnamwar50th.com

This photo shows the 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemoration flag being unveilled at the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base on November 7, 2013. The picture credits are: U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class John Nieves Camacho.
source: backcloth3.rssing.com/chan-1105421/latest.php
Esteban Rivera, 21 May 2015

Vietnam Veterans Black flag

image provided by Dan Johnson, 2 August 2005

The badges are the shoulder patches of the following US Army Divisions (starting from the "Big Red One" on the top and going clockwise):

1. 1st Infantry Div.
2. 9th Infantry Div.
3. 5th Infantry Div.
4. 25th Infantry Div.
5. 101st Airborne Div.
6. 82nd Airborne Div.
7. 173rd Airborne Brigade
8. Special Forces Airborne
9. 23rd Infantry
10. 4th Infantry
11. 18th Engineers
12. 1st Cavalry

Nathan Lamm, 3 August 2005

Vietnam Veterans Eagle Feather flag

image provided by Chuck Cline, 1 May 2010

I served in the Army from 1963 to 1985 and am the designer of the flag. My friends and I realized that when Vietnam Veterans returned home they did not receive their "honor," but instead were met by demonstration and derision. In the tradition of the Native Americans a returning warrior could be presented with an Eagle feather to honor their service. It occurred to us that this was lacking for the Vietnam era. Thus the Eagle feather superimposed on the Vietnam service ribbon was created. The feather design was drawn by my daughter and I did the graphic work. We first printed the flag nearly 20 years ago and have watched it proudly fly at many Pow-wows and Veterans gatherings. The meaning of the flag is never lost to me and hopefully not to others who may view it.

There were two versions of our flag as we changed silk screens after the first run. The feather is from my daughters design without a doubt.
Chuck Cline, 1 May 2010

War Dog

image by Esteban Rivera, 2 July 2014

In this National Geographic video at 0:16, there's a a black horizontal flag displaying a dog (most likely a German Shepherd) and a helicopter and an aircraft in the background, with the title "AMERICA's FORGOTTEN WAR HEROES" in capital yellow letters, and below "WAR DOGS" in capital yellow letters. It seems it is a commemorative flag honoring the War dogs sent during the Vietnam War by the United States.
Esteban Rivera, 2 July 2014

Lest They Be Forgotten flag

image by Pete Loeser, 3 February 2012

From www.lesttheybeforgotten.org/howitstarted.htm:
The "Lest they be Forgotten" foundation was the result of the desire of a Florida father named Gregg Garvey to honor his fallen son who died in Iraq, and to help honor all those killed in the War against Terrorism. The foundation was set up to help establish memorials in towns throughout the United States to those soldiers and patriots who have given their lives during Operation Enduring Freedom, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and in the War against Terrorism. The flag is designed to be flown under the Stars and Stripes over these monuments. The "Lest they be Forgotten" Flag was first unveiled in 2007.
Pete Loeser, 3 February 2012

Patriot flag

source: www.mlive.com located by Steve Shumaker, 15 June 2009

From www.mlive.com

"Flying under Old Glory at Michigan's Own Military and Space Museum in Frankenmuth today is a flag most Americans probably won't recognize.

A gold star outlined in blue floats on a field of white, with red and black vertical strips on either side. It's the Patriot Flag, a banner that John Carlisle Jr. of Mount Morris Township in Genesee County designed to honor every citizen who has given his or her life for the U.S. in military service and to show support for their families."

Proceeds from the sale of the flag is for veterans organizations "that help the families of "fallen patriots" or veterans in need".

Steve Shumaker, 15 June 2009