Original Item. Only One Available. This is a scarcely seen World War II Era Coast Guard flag, featuring the U.S. Federal Eagle surrounded by 13 stars in the top left, and the seal of the U.S. Coast Guard on the right over 16 red and white stripes. This example has unfortunately been cut at all four corner and mounted onto a wall, with a great deal of wood paneling stuck to the back of the flag. This is a great candidate for restoration and/or framing.

The flag roughly measures 60" x 100” (5ft. by 8.3ft.) and no longer has grommets on the end. There is a maker’s tag for ANNIN reading:

THE NAME
ANNIN
GUARANTEES QUALITY
THE BEST SINCE 1847
HIGH GRADE
REG U.S. PAT. OFF.
ALL WOOL BUNTING

The Coast Guard insignia is sewn directly to the flag. The flag is in rough shape and should be displayed on the undamaged side. This flag could definitely use some TLC. This is the first example of a WWII Coast Guard flag we’ve offered, so don’t miss out. This comes ready for further research and display.

The Coast Guard During WWII

On Sept. 27, 1942, a group of diminutive landing craft sped toward the beaches of Guadalcanal. Huddled on shore, and fighting for their lives, were about 500 men of COL Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller's 1st Battalion, 7th Marines.

Earlier that day, the same group of landing craft had put the Marines on the beach; now they were returning to extract them. As the LCVPs (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) and LCMs (Landing Craft, Mechanized) reached the shore, Coast Guard Signalman 1st Class Douglas Munro steered his LCVP between the evacuating Marines and the Japanese. By interposing his craft between the men on the beach and the enemy, Munro allowed the landing craft to safely evacuate all the Marines, including the wounded.

As the last men climbed aboard, Munro steered his craft away from the beach. When almost clear, Japanese gunfire struck Munro and killed him instantly. Munro was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. It is fitting that given the Coast Guard's lifesaving tradition and the tremendous part the Coast Guard played during World War II, the Coast Guard's only Medal of Honor winner was not only involved with a rescue but also an amphibious operation.

The Coast Guard's participation in amphibious activity during World War II was perhaps the most important war-related job the service performed. Incredibly, the Coast Guard fully manned more than 350 naval ships, including 76 LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank), 21 cargo and attack-cargo ships, 75 frigates, and 31 transports. In addition, the Coast Guard manned more than 800 cutters, nearly 300 ships for the Army, and thousands of amphibious-type assault craft.

In the ships and craft of the amphibious forces, the Coast Guard discharged its most important role during the war - that is getting the men to the beaches and providing support.

The largest Coast Guard-manned ships were the transports, and they played a vital role in landing operations. Just as vital, and generally overlooked, was the absolutely critical small-craft operations. The LCVPs, LCMs, Higgins Boats, LVTs (Landing Vehicle, Tracked) and others carried assault troops from the offshore transports and brought in reinforcements and supplies.

The handling of these small craft in the surf is a specialized skill, and it was not common among men in the Navy. Not so for men in the Coast Guard. Many of the coxswains had learned this skill from handling boats in the surf at lifesaving stations. In fact, Coast Guard coxswains from lifesaving stations were the most seasoned smallboat handlers in government service. As only experienced men could successfully maneuver landing craft through strong currents, reefs, sand bars and heavy surf, their contributions to amphibious operations is immeasurable.