Flag of the United States Air Force

United States military flag

United States Air Force

Other names| Ceremonial Departmental Flag, United States Air Force Departmental Flag, HQ USAF flag
Use| Other
Proportion| 33:26
Adopted| 26 March 1951
Design| The U.S. Air Force's crest surrounded by thirteen white five-pointed stars on a blue field.
Designed by| Dorothy G. Gatchell
Use| Other
Proportion| 4:3
Adopted| March 1951
Design| The U.S. Air Force's crest surrounded by thirteen white five-pointed stars on a blue field.
Designed by| Dorothy G. Gatchell

The flag of the United States Air Force was introduced in 1951 and consists of the U.S. Air Force's crest and shield, which itself comprises 13 white stars and the Department of the Air Force's coat of arms on a field of blue. The 13 stars represent the 13 original British American colonies, the three star grouping at the top portray the three Departments of the Department of Defense (Army, Navy, and Air Force). The crest includes the North American bald eagle (the national bird of the US), the cloud formation depicts the creation of a new firmament, and the wreath, composed of six alternate folds of silver and blue, incorporates the colors of the basic shield design.

## History

[edit]

The flag was officially adopted by President Harry S. Truman on 26 March 1951. Elements of the flag's design are used on the Department of the Air Force seal as well as the U.S. Air Force's service mark.[1] Dorothy G. Gatchell designed the flag itself,[2] whereas the crest and shield that are featured on it were designed by Arthur E. Dubois.[3] The flag's design has remained unchanged since its introduction in 1951.

## Design

[edit]

There are two differently-sized variants of the flag that are used officially. A large one with an aspect ratio of 33:26, which also serves as the flag of the U.S. Air Force's headquarters element, and a smaller-sized variant with an aspect ratio of 4:3. The larger variant, known officially as the "Ceremonial Departmental Flag" and also referred to as being "Ceremonial"-sized, can be adorned with a 2-inch-wide fringe and campaign streamers, whereas the smaller variant may not be adorned with campaign streamers.

The flag itself consists of the "crest and shield" of the U.S. Air Force, defacing a field of blue. The exact shade of blue that is used for the field is Ultramarine Blue on the Pantone Matching System color scale.[4]

## Streamers

[edit]

Verified combat credit entitles an organization to the appropriate campaign streamers representing the named campaign in which it participated. The campaign streamer will be embroidered with the name and years of the campaign. Non-combat service is represented by an organizational service streamer, which is not embroidered.[5]

### Mexican Revolution

[edit]

Mexican Service |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Mexico | 1916-1917  | 1916-1917

### World War I

[edit]

World War I Victory |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Somme Defensive | 1918  | 21 March 1918 – 6 April 1918
Lys | 1918  | 9 April 1918 – 27 April 1918
Champagne-Marne | 1918  | 15 July 1918 – 18 July 1918
Aisne-Marne | 1918  | 18 July 1918 – 6 August 1918
Somme Offensive | 1918  | 8 August 1918 – 11 November 1918
Oisne-Aisne | 1918  | 19 August 1918 – 11 November 1918
St. Mihiel | 1918  | 12 September 1918 – 16 September 1918
Meuse-Argonne | 1918  | 26 September 1918 – 11 November 1918
Alsace[a]
Champagne[a]
Flanders[a]
Ile-de-France[a]
Lorraine[a]
Picardy[a]
Theater of Operations  | Non-combat credit  | 6 April 1917 – 11 November 1918

### World War II

[edit]

#### American Theater

[edit]

American Campaign |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Antisubmarine | 1941–1945  | 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945
American Theater  | Non-combat credit  | 7 December 1941 – 2 March 1946

#### European African Middle Eastern Theater

[edit]

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Air Combat | 1941–1945  | 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945
Antisubmarine | 1941–1945  | 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945
Egypt-Libya | 1942–1943  | 11 June 1942 – 12 February 1943
Algeria-French Morocco | 1942  | 8 November 1942 – 11 November 1942
Tunisia | 1942–1943  | 12 November 1942 – 13 May 1943
Sicily | 1943  | 14 May 1943 – 17 August 1943
Naples-Foggia | 1943–1944  | 18 August 1943 – 21 January 1944
Anzio | 1944  | 22 January 1944 – 24 May 1944
Rome-Arno | 1944  | 22 January 1944 – 9 September 1944
North Apennines | 1944–1945  | 10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945
Po Valley | 1945  | 5 April 1945 – 8 May 1945
Air Offensive, Europe | 1942–1944  | 4 July 1942 – 5 June 1944
Normandy | 1944  | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944
Northern France | 1944  | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944
Southern France | 1944  | 15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944
Rhineland | 1944–1945  | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945
Ardennes-Alsace | 1944–1945  | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945
Central Europe | 1945  | 22 March 1945 – 11 May 1945
European-African-Middle Eastern Theater  | Non-combat credit  | 7 December 1941 – 8 November 1945

#### Asiatic-Pacific Theater

[edit]

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Air Combat | 1941–1945  | 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945
Antisubmarine | 1941–1945  | 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945
Central Pacific | 1941–1943  | 7 December 1941 – 6 December 1943
Philippine Islands | 1941–1942  | 7 December 1941 – 10 May 1942
East Indies | 1942  | 1 January 1942 – 22 July 1942
Papua | 1942–1943  | 23 July 1942 – 23 January 1943
Aleutian Islands | 1942–1943  | 3 June 1942 – 24 August 1943
Guadalcanal | 1942–1943  | 7 August 1942 – 21 February 1943
Northern Solomons | 1943–1944  | 22 February 1943 – 21 November 1944
Bismarck Archipelago | 1943–1944  | 15 December 1943 – 27 November 1944
Eastern Mandates | 1943–1944  | 7 December 1943 – 16 April 1944
Western Pacific | 1944–1945  | 17 April 1944 – 2 September 1945
New Guinea | 1943–1944  | 24 January 1943 – 31 December 1944
Leyte | 1944–1945  | 17 October 1944 – 1 July 1945
Luzon | 1944–1945  | 15 December 1944 – 4 July 1945
Southern Philippines | 1945  | 27 February 1945 – 4 July 1945
Burma | 1941–1942  | 7 December 1941 – 26 May 1942
India-Burma | 1942–1945  | 2 April 1942 – 28 January 1945
Central Burma | 1945  | 29 January 1945 – 15 July 1945
China Defensive | 1942–1945  | 4 July 1942 – 4 May 1945
China Offensive | 1945  | 5 May 1945 – 2 September 1945
Ryukyus | 1945  | 26 March 1945 – 2 July 1945
Air Offensive, Japan | 1942–1945  | 17 April 1942 – 2 September 1945
Asiatic-Pacific Theater  | Non-combat credit  | 27 June 1950 – 27 July 1954

### Korean War

[edit]

Korean Service |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
UN Defensive | 1950  | 27 July 1950 – 15 September 1950
UN Offensive | 1950  | 16 September 1950 – 2 November 1950
CCF Intervention | 1950–1951  | 3 November 1950 – 24 January 1951
First UN Counter-offensive | 1951  | 25 January 1951 – 21 April 1951
CCF Spring Offensive | 1951  | 22 April 1951 – 8 July 1951
UN Summer-Fall Offensive | 1951  | 9 July 1951 – 27 November 1951
Second Korean Winter | 1951–1952  | 28 November 1951 – 30 April 1952
Korea, Summer-Fall | 1952  | 1 May 1952 – 30 November 1952
Third Korean Winter | 1952–1953  | 1 December 1952 – 30 April 1953
Korea, Summer | 1953  | 1 May 1953 – 27 July 1953
Korean Theater  | Non-combat credit  | 27 June 1950 – 27 July 1954

### Vietnam War

[edit]

Vietnam Service |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Vietnam Advisory | 1961–1965  | 15 November 1961 – 1 March 1965
Vietnam Defensive | 1965–1966  | 2 March 1965 – 30 January 1966
Vietnam Air | 1966  | 31 January 1966 – 28 June 1966
Vietnam Air Offensive | 1966–1967  | 29 June 1966 – 8 March 1967
Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II | 1967–1968  | 9 March 1967 – 31 March 1968
Vietnam Air/Ground | 1968  | 22 January 1968 – 7 July 1968
Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III | 1968  | 1 April 1968 – 31 October 1968
Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV | 1968–1969  | 1 November 1968 – 22 February 1969
TET 69/Counter-offensive | 1969  | 23 February 1969 – 8 June 1969
Vietnam Summer-Fall | 1969  | 9 June 1969 – 31 October 1969
Vietnam Winter-Spring | 1969–1970  | 1 November 1969 – 30 April 1970
Sanctuary Counter-offensive | 1970  | 1 May 1970 – 30 June 1970
Southwest Monsoon | 1970  | 1 July 1970 – 30 November 1970
Commando Hunt V | 1970–1971  | 1 December 1970 – 14 May 1971
Commando Hunt VI | 1971  | 15 May 1971 – 31 October 1971
Commando Hunt VII | 1971–1972  | 1 November 1971 – 29 March 1972
Vietnam Ceasefire | 1972–1973  | 30 March 1972 – 28 January 1973
Vietnam Theater  | Non-combat credit  | 1 July 1958 – 28 March 1973

### Persian Gulf War and Iraqi no-fly zone enforcement

[edit]

Southwest Asia Service |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Defense of Saudi Arabia | 1990–1991  | 2 August 1990 – 16 January 1991
Liberation and Defense of Kuwait | 1991  | 17 January 1991 – 11 April 1991
Southwest Asia Ceasefire[b] | 1991–1995  | 12 April 1991 – 30 November 1995
Southwest Asia Theater  | Non-combat credit  | 2 August 1990 – 20 November 1995

### Kosovo War

[edit]

Kosovo Campaign |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Kosovo Air Campaign | 1999  | 24 March 1999 – 10 June 1999

### Global War on Terrorism

[edit]

Global War on Terrorism Service[6][7] |

|

Campaign name embroidered on streamer  | Date embroidered on streamer  | Inclusive dates
Global War on Terrorism  |  | September 2001 - present

## See also

[edit]

* Flags of the United States Armed Forces

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f Campaign considered a "Defensive Sector," so there are no dates embroidered on the streamer.
2. ^ U.S. Air Force organizations to receive credit for this campaign have not yet been identified.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Important Information and Guidelines About the Use of Department of Defense Seals, Logos, Insignia, and Service Medals" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. 16 October 2015. p. 2\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
2. ^ "Dorothy Gatchell. 71. Dies; Designed Air Force Flag". The New York Times. 28 January 1976.
3. ^ "The Air Force Flag" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. United States Air Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
4. ^ https://www.mortuary.af.mil/Portals/31/AFI 34-1201, Protocol.pdf [bare URL PDF]
5. ^ http://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/afi34-1201/afi34-1201.pdf Archived 23 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
6. ^ "AF Approves GWOT Streamers". Military.com.
7. ^ "New AF streamers approved for Global War on Terrorism Operations". September 2015.

## Further reading

[edit]

* A Guide to United States Air Force Lineage and Honors, United States: Air Force Historical Research Agency
* A.T. Warnock, Combat Medals, Streamers, and Campaigns

* v
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United States Air Force

Leadership|

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|

Direct Reporting Units|

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Legend
A = Army
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Leadership|

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|

Service branches and heads|

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Reserve components|

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* A
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Unified combatant command|

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Structure|

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War artists|

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Personnel|

| Training|

* Service academies:
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* A
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* A
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* A
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* N
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|

Uniforms|

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Ranks|

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Other|

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* A
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* N
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Equipment|

* A (Designations)
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* vehicles
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* N
* AF
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| Land|

* Individual weapons
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|

Sea|

* All watercraft
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* N
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Air|

* Aircraft
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Other|

* WWII equipment
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* N
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* Category
* A
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* N
* AF
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* CG
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* N
* AF
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