The jack of the United States is a maritime flag representing United States nationality flown on the jackstaff in the bow of its vessels. The U.S. Navy is a prime user of jacks, but they are also used by ships of the Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other governmental entities. "The jack is flown on the bow (front) of a ship and the ensign is flown on the stern (rear) of a ship when anchored or moored. Once under way, the ensign is flown from the main mast."
The primary jack design until September 11, 2002 was the blue canton with stars (the "union") from the U.S. national ensign. Since September 2002, the US Navy has made use of the so-called First Navy Jack. However, the standard US jack (i.e., 50 white stars on a blue field) continues to be used as the jack by vessels of the US Coast Guard, the Military Sealift Command, and NOAA, to name but a few federal agencies. The blue, starred jack is referred to as the Union Jack, but should not be confused with the British Union Jack. Like the ensign, the number of stars on the jack has increased with each state admitted into the union. Rules for flying the jack are similar to the national ensign, except that the jack is only worn at the bow when the ship is anchored, made fast or alongside.
Since September 11, 2002, the Navy has instead flown the First Navy Jack, a flag bearing 13 red and white stripes, a rattlesnake and the motto "DONT TREAD ON ME", coming from the first jacks supposedly used by the Navy during the Revolutionary War. It is flown from the jackstaff from 08:00 to sunset while Navy ships are moored or at anchor. It is required to be the same size as the union of the ensign being flown from the stern of the ship. It is also flown from the yardarm during a general court-martial or court of inquiry. During times when the ensign is at half mast, the jack is also at half mast. The jack is hoisted smartly and lowered ceremoniously in the same manner as the ensign, however the jack is not dipped when the ensign is dipped.
Some exceptions to the use of the Union Jack have occurred in the case of the U.S. Navy, the most prominent being the use of the First Navy Jack by the U.S. Navy in honor of the country's Bicentennial and subsequently. On June 3, 1999, the Secretary of the Navy authorized the flying of the Submarine Centennial Jack aboard US Navy submarines and sub tenders during the year 2000.
| Stars | Design | Dates in general use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | or |
January 8, 1776–June 14, 1777 | There is little evidence this jack had the rattlesnake or motto as traditionally depicted (see First Navy Jack). |
| 13 | June 14, 1777–May 1, 1795 | Examples of many layouts of the 13 star pattern exist. See US Flag for details. | |
| 15 | May 1, 1795–July 3, 1818 | Quasi War, War of 1812 | |
| 20 | July 4, 1818–July 3, 1819 | ||
| 21 | July 4, 1819–July 3, 1820 | ||
| 23 | July 4, 1820–July 3, 1822 | ||
| 24 | July 4, 1822–July 3, 1836 | ||
| 25 | July 4, 1836–July 3, 1837 | ||
| 26 | July 4, 1837–July 3, 1845 | ||
| 27 | July 4, 1845–July 3, 1846 | ||
| 28 | July 4, 1846–July 3, 1847 | ||
| 29 | July 4, 1847–July 3, 1848 | ||
| 30 | July 4, 1848–July 3, 1851 | ||
| 31 | July 4, 1851–July 3, 1858 | ||
| 32 | July 4, 1858–July 3, 1859 | ||
| 33 | July 4, 1859–July 3, 1861 | Civil War | |
| 34 | July 4, 1861–July 3, 1863 | ||
| 35 | July 4, 1863–July 3, 1865 | ||
| 36 | July 4, 1865–July 3, 1867 | ||
| 37 | July 4, 1867–July 3, 1877 | ||
| 38 | July 4, 1877–July 3, 1890 | ||
| 43 | July 4, 1890–July 3, 1891 | ||
| 44 | July 4, 1891–July 3, 1896 | ||
| 45 | July 4, 1896–July 3, 1908 | Sinking of the USS Maine Spanish-American War Great White Fleet |
|
| 46 | July 4, 1908–July 3, 1912 | ||
| 48 | July 4, 1912–July 3, 1959 | World War I and World War II | |
| 49 | July 4, 1959–July 3, 1960 | ||
| 50 | July 4, 1960—October 12, 1975 | ||
| January 1, 1977—Sept 11, 2002 | From 1980, the oldest active ship in the navy, the USS Constitution, flies the First Navy Jack instead | ||
| Sept 11, 2002 — | MSC and non-Navy vessels | ||
| 0 | First Navy Jack |
October 13, 1975—December 31, 1976 | United States Navy bicentennial and United States Bicentennial |
| August 18, 1980— | The active commissioned ship having the longest total period as active displays the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive status, where upon the next such ship inherits the honor. Currently USS Enterprise (CVN-65). | ||
| Sept 11, 2002— | War on Terrorism Navy vessels only; Military Sealift Command (MSC) and non-Navy vessels continue to fly the Union Jack See First Navy Jack for explanation |
Famous quotes containing the words united states, jack, united and/or states:
“We can beat all Europe with United States soldiers. Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I’ll whip any other thousand men on the globe!”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)
“Personally I think we’re over-specialized. Why it’s getting so we have experts who concentrate only on the lower section of a specimen’s left ear.”
—Martin Berkeley, and Jack Arnold. Prof. Clete Ferguson (John Agar)
“So here they are, the dog-faced soldiers, the regulars, the fifty-cents-a-day professionals riding the outposts of the nation, from Fort Reno to Fort Apache, from Sheridan to Stark. They were all the same. Men in dirty-shirt blue and only a cold page in the history books to mark their passing. But wherever they rode and whatever they fought for, that place became the United States.”
—Frank S. Nugent (1908–1965)
“... there is a place in the United States for the Negro. They are real American citizens, and at home. They have fought and bled and died, like men, to make this country what it is. And if they have got to suffer and die, and be lynched, and tortured, and burned at the stake, I say they are at home.”
—Amanda Berry Smith (1837–1915)