U.S. 48 Star Flag

Date: 1912 - 1959

Description: Thirteen red and white stripes. Six rows of eight five-pointed stars blue canton. [E27]

There are two flags in this category of the Clausen collection dating to World War II. They are large and have not been photographed as yet. They will be photographed prior to the collection display in July of 2005 and this page will be updated.

This flag is the longest in use of United States flags. Beginning in 1912 with the admission of Arizona and New Mexico, the flag was used until 1959 with the admission of Alaska.

This flag was used in World Wars I and II and the Korean War.

On February 19, 1945, three U.S. Marine divisions landed on the Japanese held island of Iwo Jima in the Pacific. After one of the fiercest battles of World War II, marines raised the 48 star flag in victory. The dimensions and star pattern were set by Presidential mandate. The days of the flag as a popular art form were over.

The United States Marine Corp War Memorial in Washington, D.C.