Cruise Flag Made By ID’d Sailor – USS Maryland (BB-46)

Description

Cruise Flag Made By ID’d Sailor – USS Maryland (BB-46). The flag was made by Seaman Leo T. DeVall, and the identification was made on the prior collector’s personal notepad, ” U.S. Navy Sailor” Leo T. DeVall / Seaman (Ships Identity / U.S.S. Maryland – The Ensign was made by Seaman DeVall while aboard the ship “Maryland” Approximately during the ship’s Cruise 1939- 1941.

Approximate size is 2×3 feet and made of heavy white linen with black stars, strips and lettering.  Two brass grommets at the upper and lower hoist areas.

I don’t know the significance of the stars unless they represent ports of call or cruises, same for the stripes.

From the John Stacey Collection.

“USS Maryland (BB-46), also known as “Old Mary” or “Fighting Mary” to her crewmates, was a Colorado- class battleship.  She was the third ship of the US Navy to be named in honor of the seventh state. She was commissioned in 1921, and serving as the flagship of the fleet, sailed to Australia, New Zealand, and Brasil. 

During WWII, she was on Battleship Row during the Attack on Pearl Harbor, and was lightly damaged by Japanese bombs.  Returning to duty in 1942, she saw service in the Pacific, first supporting the rest of the fleet at the Battle of Midway, and then patrolling the Fiji Islands to guard against Japanese incursion. Next, she went on the offensive, commencing shore bombardments in the Battle of Tarawa.  During the Battle of Saipan she took torpedo damage to her bow, necessitating repairs and refits. She then participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf where she was hit by a kamikaze . She took another kamikaze hit at the Battle of Okinawa, and was under repair toward the end of World War II. The USS Maryland had completed repairs at Bremerton, WA and was sailing back to the Pacific Theater when word was received that the war had ended. The ship turned around and returned to the Port of Long Beach, CA.

After service in Operation Magic Carpet, she was decommissioned in 1947, and sold for scrap in 1959. She received seven battle stars for World War II service.”  (Operation Magic Carpet- the assistance provided to nearly 50,000 Yemenite Jews being rejoining to the new State of Israel ).   Wikipedia.