Flag of the United States Navy

United States Navy
Use	Other
Proportion	16:13
Adopted	24 April 1959
Infantry Battalion Flag
	Former, unofficial flag of the United States Navy
Use	Other
Proportion	156:133
Adopted	December 1864
Design	Dark blue foul anchor on a white diamond, with a dark blue background

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The flag of the United States Navy consists of the seal of the U.S. 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 Dwight D. Eisenhower on 24 April 1959 and was formally introduced to the public on 30 April 1959 at a ceremony at Naval Support Facility Carderock in Maryland.^[2] It replaced the infantry battalion flag which had been used as the U.S. Navy's unofficial flag for many years beforehand.

It is used on land, displayed inside naval offices, in parades, and for other ceremonial occasions, and often on a staff at the quarterdeck of ships in port.^[3] It is not 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 the U.S. Coast Guard ensign is.

^ United States Department of the Navy (1903). "South Atlantic Blockading Squadron". Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. p. 88. Retrieved 26 June 2014. December 9, 1864. SIR: I send you three distinguishing pennants for the battalions of the fleet brigade–red for the howitzers, blue for the skirmishers, and white-blue for the marines, marked with an anchor. It will be well not to let our sailors and marines forget the habits to which they have been accustomed, for they may lose this without acquiring those of the soldiers, and I must confess to a preference for the more exact and respectful training of the Navy. It is by no means necessary to cause them discomfort, but they should never be allowed to omit the usual acknowledgements of the presence of their officers. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J.A. Dahlgren.
^ First Sailor To Carry The Navy Flag Returns To Visit Ceremonial Guard, Navy.mil, 13 May 2009
^ US Navy flag

[1] United States Department of the Navy (1903). "South Atlantic Blockading Squadron". Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. p. 88. Retrieved 26 June 2014. December 9, 1864. SIR: I send you three distinguishing pennants for the battalions of the fleet brigade–red for the howitzers, blue for the skirmishers, and white-blue for the marines, marked with an anchor. It will be well not to let our sailors and marines forget the habits to which they have been accustomed, for they may lose this without acquiring those of the soldiers, and I must confess to a preference for the more exact and respectful training of the Navy. It is by no means necessary to cause them discomfort, but they should never be allowed to omit the usual acknowledgements of the presence of their officers. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J.A. Dahlgren.

[2] First Sailor To Carry The Navy Flag Returns To Visit Ceremonial Guard, Navy.mil, 13 May 2009

[3] US Navy flag

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