Historical Uses
The use of a red ball for signaling was used as early as the 1800s, with a flag with a red ball on a white field indicating the important ship of a vice admiral.
The term "Red Ball" was later a railroad phrase referring to express shipping for priority and perishables (originated by the Santa Fe system ~ 1892, extensively used by 1920s), where the trains were marked with red balls and the cleared express use tracks were marked with red balls.
Some later trucking companies adopted the "red ball" name, and Patton in 1940 used the Texas "Red Ball Express" trucking company on contract to supply the Louisiana Maneuvers.
Post WWII use of the "red ball" phrase was for expedited legal cases of murder or similar importance.
Read more about this topic: Red Ball Express
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