Commissioning Pennant: US Navy History

• The commissioning pennant distinguishes a commissioned Navy ship.
• It is a long streamer displaying national colors of the navy.
• The American pennant has a blue hoist with seven white stars.
• The rest consists of single longitudinal red and white stripes.
• This pennant is flown whenever a ship is in commissioned status.
• It is not flown when a flag officer or civilian official flies their personal flag.

Origin Story

• Ships' commissioning programs include a story about the pennant's origin.
• During the first Anglo-Dutch naval war (1652-54), Dutch Admiral Maarten Tromp sailed with a broom at his masthead, intending to sweep the English from the sea.
• British Admiral Robert Blake raised a coachwhip to whip the Dutch fleet.
• Blake won, and the streamer-like "coachwhip pennant" became the distinguishing mark of naval ships.
• This anecdote has not been verified by researchers.

Actual Origin

• Narrow pennants date back thousands of years, appearing in ancient Egyptian art.
• They were flown from ships' mastheads and yardarms from at least the Middle Ages.
• They are found Medieval manuscripts and Renaissance paintings.
• As professional national navies formed in the late seventeenth century with sailing ships, long, narrow pennants were flown from the mainmast head to distinguish naval ships from merchant ships.

American Commissioning Pennants

• Early American commissioning pennants had 13 white stars in their blue hoist.
• A smaller, seven-star pennant was later used for captain's gigs and early small submarines/destroyers.
• Larger ships flew the conventional flag, while smaller boats used a 13-star "boat flag".
• The 13 stars likely commemorated the original 13 states.
• The number seven may have positive connotations in Jewish and Christian symbology, or it may have been an aesthetic choice.
• By 1870, the largest Navy pennant had a 0.52-foot hoist and a 70-foot fly.
• The largest ensign at that time measured 19 by 36 feet.
• As warships became more distinct, flags and pennants were reduced in size.
• This was accelerated by the proliferation of electronic antennas in the twentieth century.
• The largest commissioning pennant now has a 2.5-inch hoist and a 6-foot fly.
• The largest shipboard ensign for daily service use is 5 feet by 9 feet, 6 inches.
• Larger "holiday ensigns" are flown on special occasions.

The commissioning pennant is a long streamer distinguishing a commissioned Navy ship. The American pennant features a blue hoist with seven white stars and alternating red and white stripes. It's flown when a ship is in commission, except when a flag officer's personal flag is flown.