Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. A service flag or service banner is a banner that family members of those serving in the United States Armed Forces can display. The flag or banner is officially defined as a white field with a red border, with a blue star for each family member serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities. The banner was designed in 1917 by U.S. Army Captain Robert L. Queisser of the Fifth Ohio Infantry, in honor of his two sons who were serving in World War I.
Here we have a nice set of two flags, which shows a bit of the variety seen with "Blue Star" Service Banners during WWI. The first example has two stars and is entirely woven, most likely by machine. It has some markings on the top hanging rod, so it definitely looks to be a commercially available example, and measures about 7 1/2"W X 11 1/2". The front side definitely shows some fading, and the loops that once held it to the top post are now mostly broken off.
The second example has one star, and interestingly has the colors reversed, so this is more of a "red star" banner. The service flag was brand new for WWI, so there were definitely more variations than seen later. It is made of felt, with a nice fringe on the bottom, and a woven red star in the center. The rest of the banner is made from felt, and originally the background piece was blue, but has faded quite a bit over the years. The reverse is also faded, but still does have traces of the original blue color. It measures 8 1/2"W x 10", and his attached to a hanger pole on the top, which has a very nice tassel. There is also a fringe on the bottom of the flag.
Two very nice examples of early "blue star" flags, ready to display!
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