Flag of the United States Navy
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.
| 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 |
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. 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. 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.