The flag

Flag

A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...

 of the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

consists of the Seal of the Department of the Navy in the center, above a yellow scroll inscribed "United States Navy" in dark blue letters, against a dark blue background.

The flag was officially authorized by President

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...

 on April 24, 1959 and was formally introduced to the public on April 30, 1959 at a ceremony at Naval Support Facility Carderock in Maryland . It replaced the Infantry Battalion flag which had been used as the unofficial Flag of the United States Navy for many years.

It is used on land in offices, in parades and for ceremonial occasions, and often on a staff at the quarterdeck of ships in port. It is never flown by ships at sea, nor on outdoor flagpoles on naval land installations, and is not used as an identifying mark of U.S. Navy ships and facilities, as is the U.S. Coast Guard ensign

Flag of the United States Coast Guard

The flag of the United States Coast Guard is white with a dark blue Great Seal of the United States. The shield on the eagle's breast has a blue chief over vertical red and white stripes...

.

Executive order

The following is details from the Naval Telecommunications Procedures, Flags, Pennants & Customs, NTP 13(B)

1710. FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY
By Executive Order 10812 of 24 April 1959, the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, established and prescribed an official flag for the United States Navy. This flag is to be 4 feet 4 inches hoist (width) by 5 feet 6 inches fly (length), of dark blue material, with yellow fringe, 2½ inches wide. In the center of the flag is a device 3 feet 1 inch overall, consisting of the inner pictorial portion of the seal of the Department of the Navy (with the exception that a continuation of the sea has been substituted for the land area), in its proper colors within a circular yellow rope edging, all 2 feet 6 inches in diameter above a yellow scroll inscribed "UNITED STATES NAVY" in dark blue letters.

a. The U.S. Navy flag shall be used to represent the Navy as follows:

(1) At official ceremonies

(2) In parades

(3) During official Navy display occasions

(4) At public gatherings when the Navy is an official participant

(5) On such occasions as may be specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Navy.

b. When used for the purposes listed above, the U.S. Navy flag will accompany, and take the place of honor next after the national ensign except
when other branches of the armed forces are participating, in which case the service flags will take the precedence of the services which they represent,
(see Article 1724 for the service precedences).

c. The U.S. Navy flag shall not be used for outdoor fixed (permanent) display purposes.

d. There are no cord and tassels authorized for use with the flag of the United States Navy.

e. Battle streamers displayed on the U.S. Navy flag represent both war and non-war actions involving combat. The silver and bronze star embroidered thereon signify selected actions and campaigns in which the Navy has been engaged. Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation and Meritorious Unit Commendation streamers bear numerals rather than stars, indicating the total number of each award earned. Streamers are long, narrow, swallow-tailed ribbons, 3 to 4 feet long, of the same design
and width as the service ribbons or unit decoration, and are displayed attached to the staff below the ornament by a brass ring.

f. To determine eligibility and entitlement refer to SECNAVINST 1650.1 (current) (Navy and Marine Corps Award Manual) and SECNAVINST 10520.2
(current).

g. The U.S. Navy flag is for official Navy use only, and shall not be made available to civilian groups, organizations or individuals.

Streamers

The following streamers

Campaign streamer

Campaign streamers are decorations attached to military flags to recognize particular achievements or events of a military unit or service. Attached to the headpiece of the assigned flag, the streamer often is an inscribed ribbon with the name and date denoting participation in a particular battle,...

 are authorized, in order of precedence:

Streamers
Order	Name	Image	Device(s)
1	Presidential Unit Citation (Navy)		"red numerals"
2	Navy Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...		"red numerals"
3	Meritorious Unit Commendation (Navy) Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....		"red numerals"
4	Revolutionary War
5	Quasi-War with France
6	Barbary Wars Barbary Wars The Barbary Wars were a series of wars between the United States of America and the Barbary States of North Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At issue was the Barbary pirates' demand of tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. If ships failed to pay, pirates...
7	War of 1812 War of 1812 The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
8	African Slave Trade African slave trade Systems of servitude and slavery were common in many parts of Africa, as they were in much of the ancient world. In some African societies, the enslaved people were also indentured servants and fully integrated; in others, they were treated much worse...
9	Operations Against West Indian British West Indies The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...  Pirates
10	Indian Wars Indian Campaign Medal The Indian Campaign Medal is a decoration established by War Department General Orders 12, 1907. The medal was retroactively awarded to any soldier of the U.S...
11	Mexican War
12	Civil War Civil War Campaign Medal The Civil War Campaign Medal is considered the first campaign service medal of the United States military. The decoration was awarded to members of the United States military who had served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865.-Establishment:...
13	Spanish Campaign Spanish Campaign Medal The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those members of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish-American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish Campaign Medal, one for members of the United...
14	Philippine Campaign Philippine Campaign Medal The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippine Campaign Medal was issued under...
15	China Relief Expedition China Relief Expedition Medal The China Relief Expedition Medal was a decoration of the United States military which was issued to members of both the United States Navy and the United States Marines for service in the China Relief Expedition between 1900 and 1901 during the Boxer Rebellion. The medal was authorized by General...
16	World War I Victory
17	Second Nicaraguan Campaign Nicaraguan Campaign Medal The Nicaraguan Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy which was authorized by Presidential Order of Woodrow Wilson on September 22, 1913. The medal was again authorized by an act of the United States Congress on November 8, 1929...
18	Yangtze Service Yangtze Service Medal The Yangtze Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created in 1930 for presentation to members of the U.S. Navy and United States Marine Corps...
19	China Service China Service Medal The China Service Medal was a military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted on August 23, 1940 and featured a yellow ribbon with narrow red edge stripes...
20	American Defense Service American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing service before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict.-Criteria:...
21	American Campaign American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
22	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...  x 2
23	European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
24	Korean Service Korean Service Medal The Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who...
25	National Defense Service National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
26	Armed Forces Expeditionary Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
27	Vietnam Service Vietnam Service Medal The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
28	Southwest Asia Service Southwest Asia Service Medal The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
29	Kosovo Campaign Kosovo Campaign Medal The Kosovo Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces established by Executive Order 13154 of President Bill Clinton on May 3, 2000...
30	Afghanistan Campaign Afghanistan Campaign Medal The Afghanistan Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13363 of President George W. Bush on November 29, 2004. The Afghanistan Campaign Medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry....
31	Iraq Campaign Iraq Campaign Medal The Iraq Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by Executive Order 13363 of President George W. Bush on November 29, 2004. The Iraq Campaign Medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry....
32	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...
33	Global War on Terrorism Service Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...

>

• Note that a "x #" designation denotes the number of streamers used to carry devices (maximum of 6), not the number of awards. For streamers there the device column lists "red numerals", the total number of the award earned by ships and units of the Navy are totalled and embroidered in red. Because these numbers are constantly changing, they are not listed here.

Navy jack

Jacks are additional national flags flown by warships (and certain other ships) on a jackstaff

Jackstaff

A jackstaff is a small vertical spar in the bow of a ship, on which a particular type of flag, known as a jack, is flown. It is from this that the term Union Jack derives ....

at the bow of the ship. These are usually flown only when not underway and when the ship is dressed on special occasions.