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Navy - Fleet Admiral (U.S.)

Indoor/Parade version
by Rick Wyatt, 27 September 1998

Outdoor version
by Joseph McMillan, 9 September 1999

Usage
Admiral of the Navy

See also:

Usage

There have been no (five-star) Fleet Admirals appointed since World War II; therefore the relevant rank flag, though authorized and official, is not flown nowadays.
Tom Gregg, 13 February 1997

Admiral of the Navy

I've combed through the regulations, flag books and Navy Department general orders for this period, and would say with a very high degree of certainty that no special flag was ever prescribed for Adm Dewey. There would have been no need. Until 1915, he was the only full admiral, active or retired, and therefore the only one entitled to a four-star flag. He died in 1917.

The flag at the tomb in Washington Cathedral is a regular admiral's flag. The colors have faded over the years, which may have led a casual observer to believe the stars are a light-bleached yellow rather than a discolored white.

Joe McMillan, 20 December 2000

The Oct. 1917 issue of National Geographic [gmc17] treats the rank of "Admiral of the Navy" as different than merely full Admiral. While it does not show any separate flag for the rank, it does have a section entitled "The Insignia of the Uniformed Forces of the United States" (pp.413-419). On page 413 it says "...and while no Admiral of the Navy has been appointed to succeed the late Admiral Dewey, Admirals Benson, Mayo and Caperton and Knight have been made full admirals, and Admirals Sims and Coffman vice admirals- grades recently revived by act of Congress in order that our officers may rank with the men of the Allied Forces with whom they are cooperating." More telling perhaps, is that on page 416 different insignia are shown for Admiral of the Navy and full Admiral. Collar and shoulder patches for AotN bore 4 stars, the first and last of which were placed upon anchors. The patches for Admiral bore 4 stars, but only the first was placed upon an anchor. AotN sleeves bore three stripes, in ca. 2-1-2 ratio. Admiral sleeves bore 4 stripes, in roughly 1-1-1-3 ratio. click here for photo of Adm. Dewey with AotN insignia.

Ned Smith, 20 December 2000