U.S. Supplier & Manufacturer of Flags, Aviation Windsocks, Award Pennants, Award Streamers, Indoor Flag Sets, Parade Equipment and More.
CAGE Code- 4HMN8
Flags and Emblems is a division of U.S. Heraldry LLC

Armed Forces Religious Flags

Armed Forces Religious Flags
We are now carrying a small but growing inventory of Armed Forces Religious flags, pennants and accessories. These are available in a commercial (non-Military Spec) and Government/Military Regulation versions.

Background: The U.S. Flag Code provides that "No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy."

According to NTP-13(B), "Flags, Pennants and Customs," the U.S. Navy interprets "at sea" to mean "aboard a ship of the navy." The church pennant is displayed immediately above the ensign wherever the ensign is displayed--at the gaff when under way or at the flagstaff when not under way. It may also be flown from a fixed pole-mast during services ashore, but not superior to the national ensign.

The U.S. Navy church pennant is a white pennant with a rounded tip having a hoist to fly ratio of about 1:3. Near the hoist is a dark blue Latin cross oriented sideways, i.e. with the head at the hoist and the long lower member toward the fly.

There is also a similar Jewish worship pennant, which is flown according to the same rules as the church pennant, which was approved by the Secretary of the Navy in 1975. It is white, of similar proportions and shape to the church pennant, with the tablets of Moses topped by a Magen David, also oriented sideways.

Since there is now a Muslim chaplain in the Navy and the crescent of Islam has been added to the cross and tablets on the COA of the Navy Chaplain Corps, we should expect to see a Muslim worship pennant added at some point in the future, presumably white with a blue crescent.
Scroll to top