Initially, the issue of US Navy and Coast Guard flagstaff finials can be complicated, but we will go through this systematically. A finial is the ornament or topper that is on the top of a flagstaff or mast. A flagstaff is only for static indoor display and to be carried by a color guard and a flag mast (flagpole) is a permanent structure out of doors or aboard ship.

The sea services are the Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, Merchant Mariners, NOAA, and Public Health Service. None of the standards in this writing are for the Marine Corps which uses only one finial but does follow much of the flag protocol.

What this Article is Not

This article is not my interpretation. It’s not opinion. Your interpretation or opinion do not matter, just like mine. Let’s get that out of the way. I go by definitions, not what I think a manual is saying. There is quite a bit of information here, you are going to need to read it a couple times and probably bookmark the page to reread it when you need the information.

Please see the DrillMaster Study of Half-Staff/Half-Mast here.

The Standards

1. MCO 5060.20, Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies, (also applicable to the Navy, Coast Guard, Merchant Mariners, NOAA, and Public Health*)
   1. The long history of this manual
      1. Starts in 1775 with von Steuben.
      1. Takes two paths during the Civil War era through early 1900s.
      1. Marine Corps and Navy come together with Landing Force Manual in 1921 and continued with the Landing Party Manuals through 1950.
      1. Marine Corps League creates its own Marine Corps Drill and Ceremonies manual in 1952.
      1. NAVMC 2691 published in 1980 and 83.
      1. Reclassified SECNAVINST 5060.22 (no copy available) in possibly 1982/1984.
      1. Reclassified to MCO P5060.20 in 2003
      1. In 2019, the “P” is dropped to be MCO 5060.20.
2. MCO 10520.3, United States Marine Corps Flag Manual
   1. Replaced by MCO 4400.201 Vol 13 (2016), Management of Property in the Possession of the Marine Corps, Chapters 12 & 13 are a complete restating of MCO 10520.3
3. NTP 13(B), Flags, Pennants, and Customs (also applicable to the Coast Guard, Merchant Mariners, NOAA, and Public Health*)
4. US Navy Regulations Chap 12, Flags, Pennants, Honors, and Customs (also applicable to the Coast Guard, Merchant Mariners, NOAA, and Public Health*)
5. OPNAVINST 10520.1B CNO Policy on Flags and Streamers

*Merchant Mariners, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Public Health do not have marching programs, but the officers in each program need to be able to stand at Attention and execute facing movements at appropriate times. Each organization also follows the guidance for sea service flag protocol.

Below, my explanations appear between bracket [like this].

MCO 5060.20

MCO 5060.20, Chap 7, (2) d. When mounted on a vehicle, the national flag is called the “national standard” and the organizational flag is called the “organizational standard.” The term “standard” means the national standard only. The term “standards” means both the national standard and the organizational standard.

Fringe

Encl. 1, Chap. 7, Para. 1. p. The use of gold fringe on the U.S. Flag is expressly forbidden for Marine Corps organizations.

[This is for Marine Corps colors displays and color guards only. -DM]

Orders were issued on 2 April 1921 which directed all national colors be manufactured without the yellow fringe and without the words “U S Marine Corps” embroidered on the red stripe. This was followed by an order dated 14 March 1922, retiring from use all national colors still in use with yellow fringe or wording on the flag.

Here, the gold cords and tassels are not authorized the same as the finials

Cord and Tassels

q. The U.S. Flag, when displayed or carried on a staff (pike) is adorned with a red, white, and blue rope and tassel. The organizational colors are adorned with a scarlet and gold rope and tassel. However, once a unit has been awarded a streamer, the rope and tassel is removed from the organizational colors and a streamer attachment set added between the upper ferrule and the spearhead. Ropes and tassels are affixed to the top of the staff between the two ribs of the upper ferrule using a girth hitch knot.

MCO 10520.3

Annex B

Battle Color. See Battle Standard. [While a standard was carried by mechanized troops or mounted to the vehicles (most likely unfringed) and a color was carried by infantry troops, both names mean the same thing. -DM]

Battle Color of the Marine Corps. See Battle Standard of the Marine Corps. Battle Standard, The term “Battle Standard” refers to the distinguishing organizational flag authorized for CMC Approved command Slated Billets, bearing the title of a designated unit on the scroll.

Battle Standard of the Marine corps. A Marine Corps color, known as “The Battle Standard of the Marine Corps” and bearing the battle Streamers authorized for the Marine Corps as a whole, shall be kept at the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.

Color. The term “color” applies to a national flag or a unit or organization distinguishing flag carried by dismounted elements. It also applies to the distinguishing flag of comparable size, normally of rayon, authorized for certain high civilian and military officials, however, the term “color” will not be used in reference to personal distinguishing flags of Marine Corps officers, Ensign. The term “ensign” refers to a flag displayed on board ships of the Navy and at Navy and Marine commands ashore.

Flag. The term “flag” is a general term and is applicable regardless of size, relative proportions, or manner of display. The fly of a flag is its length measured horizontally; the hoist of a flag is its width measured vertically.

Mast. The term “mast” as used herein applies to a fixed shaft from which a flag is displayed.

National Ensign. The term “National Ensign” refers to the national flag displayed on board ships of the Navy and at Navy and Marine commands ashore.

National Flag. The term “National Flag” may be applied to the flag of the United States regardless of size or manner of display.

Staff. The term “staff’ as used herein applies to the shaft from which a flag carried by troops is displayed.

Standard. The term “standard’ originally applied to a flag carried by mounted, mechanized, motorized, or aviation units of the Operating Forces. Modern usage refers to a flag of the type described in Chapter 3, carried by both Operating Forces and Supporting Establishment.

Fringe

Chap. 1, 3. g. The use of fringe on national colors or standards within the Marine Corps is prohibited.

Miscellaneous

Chap. 3, para 15. b. Minor repair should be accomplished at the local level to maintain each item in a ready serviceable condition acceptable by the Government. Any minor repair work that is done cannot alter specifications of the flag. Major repairs and modifications are not authorized to be accomplished at the local level.

Chap. 3, para. 18.

a. Flagstaffs. Flagstaffs will be used at all times when displaying or carrying ceremonial or organizational flags. Flagstaffs and components authorized for use within the Marine Corps follow.

(1) Flagstaff, colors and standards, 9 1 6″

Components:

Flagstaff 8′ 9 7/8″ W/2 No, 7, 3/4″ round head wood screws

[These aren’t wood screws. They are brass and there are 4, 8, or 12 of them that screw into a brass tube to keep the brass hardware attached to the staff, depending on the configuration. -DM]

b. Flag Cases. Flag cases will be used to cover ceremonial and organizational flags when being stored or carried on other than for ceremonial occasions.

c. Flag Slings. Flag slings will be used at all times to carry ceremonial or organizational flags during ceremonies.

Foreign National and Other Colors

Chap 4, para. 4. Carrying Flags of Foreign Nations and Non-Military Organization. Marine Corps personnel may carry flags of foreign nations in official civil ceremonies when an official of the nation concerned is present in his official capacity and is one for whom honors normally would be rendered. In this capacity the flag of the foreign nation will be carried by a separate color guard (normally three Marines). This color guard will be preceded by a Marine Corps color guard during the ceremony. In all other public events or ceremonies, Marine Corps personnel in uniform and in an official capacity are not authorized to carry flags of foreign nations, veterans groups, or other nonmilitary organizations.

[The above is about carrying colors. Foreign national, state, and territory colors can be displayed at any time that is appropriate. The restriction comes when it should be carried. -DM]

NTP 13(b)

102. DEFINITIONS

(2) Ensign – The flag designated by a country to be flown by it’s men-of-war.

[An ensign is a flag that has a header band with grommets. It is an “outside flag”. -DM]

b. The national and organizational (regimental/battalion) flags carried by dismounted organizations are called the “national color” and the “organizational color”. The singular word “color” implies the national color, while the plural word “colors” implies the national color and organizational color.

c. The national and organizational flags carried by mounted or motorized units are called the “national standard” and the “regimental/battalion standard”. The singular word “standard” implies the national standard, and the plural word “standards” implies both the national and organizational standards.

e. Colors may be carried in any formation in which two or more companies participate, and by escorts when ordered.

f. No more than one national color will be carried by a regiment, or any part thereof, when assembled as a unit.

[Emphasis mine. A color is an indoor/outdoor/parade flag, a flag used in a static display and carried by a color guard in a parade. Keep these definitions in mind to understand the next section. To give you some context regarding the descriptions. The following quote is from AR 260-10 (1944)

(10) Staff-heads of design other than eagle, acorn, gilt halberd (Navy), ball, gilt star (Navy), spear, or flat disk (Navy) are not authorized. This restricts the display for official purposes of any color, standard, flag, pennant, streamer, banner, guidon, or similar device from a flagstaff bearing a head of a design such as a State crest, regimental device, society emblem, or any design not noted above. It does not restrict the display of a State flag from a staff bearing a State device, as when national and State flags are flown from adjacent flagstaffs.

h. Flag headings.

(1) Flags displayed from a halyard and all boat and airship flags will be equipped with a canvas tabling with grommets or flag staples or both.

(2) Flags displayed from a pike, lance, flagstaff, etc., will be equipped with a tube or tunnel heading.

We now call that “tube or tunnel heading” a staff sleeve. As you can see, the definitions of flag type were and still are universal. -DM]

104. FRINGE

The Navy’s policy regarding fringe on the national ensign is as follows:

a. Fringe will not be attached to the national ensign when displayed out-of-doors.

[This sentence creates the greatest amount of problems because so many do not understand how to apply the definitions above. Again, this isn’t about how you or I “interpret” it, it’s about exactly what it says. Let’s look:

• “Fringe will not be attached to the national ensign” – the national ensign is a flag with a header band and grommets in the band. Aboard ship and in harsh weather conditions, the ensign can have a pole hem with a rope and thimble attaching system. An ensign is displayed out doors only.
• “when displayed out-of-doors” – Displayed means on a mast, not a color guard. A color guard carries the colors, it does not display them. See 102. DEFINITIONS, letters e. and f., above. -DM]

b. Fringe shall not be removed from any flag of historical nature or value.

[g. The use of fringe on national colors or standards within the Marine Corps is prohibited. MCO 10520.3 -DM]

105. CORD AND TASSELS

a. Only red, white, and blue cord and tassels may be attached to the flagstaff of the national ensign (see Chapter 17).

[This is an imperative, meaning that a cord and tassels will be attached and that the only cord and tassels authorized for the national is red, white, and blue. The Marine Corps used poor wording here with “ensign”. -DM]

307. NAVAL FORCES ASHORE

Of the colors carried by a Naval force on shore, only the U.S. Navy Flag and the Battalion Colors shall be dipped in rendering or acknowledging a salute.

[This means the battalion colors can be carried as the third flag in the formation. -DM]

1003. STAFF ORNAMENTS

Staff ornaments for personal flags and pennants shall be the same as that prescribed for the U.S. national ensign (see Chapter 11).

[This means when the authorization for an Admiral or dignitary is a certain finial for the personal or positional color, the national must also have the same finial. -DM]

1101. BOAT DISPLAY

a. A staff ornament shall top the flagstaff upon which the national ensign is displayed in boats of the Naval service under the following conditions:

[This section is for the staff of the American flag when it is displayed in a ship/boat. -DM]

**(1) When an officer or civil official is embarked on an official occasion or

(2) When a flag officer, unit commander, commanding officer, chief of staff, or chief staff officer, in uniform, is embarked in a boat of his command or one assigned for his personal use.

**An additional staff ornament of the same type must top the flagstaff in the bow upon which is affixed the personal flag, command pennant, or commission pennant of such officer or civil official.

b. The topping ornament shall have a highly polished brass finish and be displayed as follows:

(1) A SPREAD EAGLE – For civilian officials and flag officers whose official gun salute is 19 or more guns. This includes such individuals as the President and Vice President, Secretaries of State, Defense, Army, Navy, Air Force, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, State Governors, and Service Chiefs. Tables of gun salutes of military officers and civil officials are contained in Chapter 10, U.S. Navy Regulations.

[19-gun salute and higher. -DM]

(2) A HALBERD – For flag officers whose official gun salute is less than 19 guns, and for civil officials whose gun salute is 11 or more but less than 19 guns. Included in this category are such individuals as the Under and Assistant Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force; Naval or Military Governors; and flag officers of the Armed Forces other than those of 5-star rank or Service Chiefs.

[17-gun salute and higher. -DM]

(3) A BALL – For officers of the grade or equivalent grade of Captain in the Navy, and for such diplomatic officials as Career Ministers, Consuls, or First Secretary of an Embassy or Legation.

[15-gun salute and higher. In any display, foreign national flags are topped with a ball. -DM]

(4) A STAR – For officers of the grade or equivalent grade of Commander in the Navy.

[11-gun salute and higher. The flat truck is just the upper ferrule (ornament receiver) with the finial removed. -DM]

(5) A FLAT TRUCK – For officers below the grade or equivalent grade of Commander in the Navy, and for civil officials for whom honors are prescribed on the occasions of an official visit but are not the equivalent of those officials listed above.

[11-gun salute and higher. The flat truck is just the upper ferrule (ornament receiver) with the finial removed. -DM]

US Navy Regulations, Chapter 12, Section 8

I need to insert this here.

1275. 2. Staffs for the ensign, and for the personal flag or pennant in a boat assigned to the personal use of a flag or general officer, unit commander, chief of staffer commanding officer, or in which a civil officer is embarked, shall be fitted at the peak with devices as follows:

1275. 2. Staffs for the ensign, and for the personal flag or pennant in a boat assigned to the personal use of a flag or general officer, unit commander, chief of staffer commanding officer, or in which a civil officer is embarked, shall be fitted at the peak with devices as follows:

1. A spread eagle for an official or officer whose official salute is 19 or more guns.
2. A halberd:
   • (1) For a flag or general officer whose official salute is less than 19 guns.
   • (2) For a civil official whose official salute is 11 or more guns but less than 19 guns.
3. A ball:
   • (1) For an officer of the grade, or relative grade, of captain in the Navy.
   • (2) For a career minister, a counselor or first secretary of embassy or legation, or a consul.
4. A star for an officer of the grade, or relative grade, of commander in the Navy.
5. A flat truck:
   • (1) For an officer below the grade, or relative grade, of commander in the Navy.
   • (2) For a civil official not listed above, and for whom honors are prescribed for an official visit.

Back to NTP 13(B)

1102. LOCATIONS OTHER THAN IN BOATS

a. The staff ornament for the national ensign, when displayed other than in boats, shall be the battle-ax.

[Emphasis mine. This means flagstaffs in a static display or carried by a color guard are topped with the battle-ax. -DM]

b. Personal flags and command pennants shall be topped with the ornament prescribed for boat display when displayed indoors.

[Emphasis mine. This means that the finials described above are used as the finial for a flagstaff ashore. -DM]

1103. U.S. NAVY FLAG AND BATTALION COLORS

A battle-ax shall top the flagstaff on which is flown the Navy flag and battalion colors.

1104. GUIDON

The flagstaff topping ornament for the guidon shall be the spearhead.

[The flat, silver spearhead, “Army spade”, on a light ash wood guidon staff with silver metal hardware. -DM]

1723. CORD AND TASSELS

c. Cord and tassels may be used only with the personal flags of the officials and officers listed herein.

[This means a cord and tassels is not mounted on staffs for any Navy color other than what is shown in the NTP (AR 840-10, and AFI 34-1201), all are positional colors for Pentagon-level General Officers. -DM]

The Finial on Other Colors

The photo at the top of the page is of the US Coast Guard Academy color guard. Another photo is at the right.

The school’s color guard carries all the service departmental colors for some reason. They can, according to DoDI 5410.19 Vol 4:

Section 5, para. 5-1. A. (2) When a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard cannot be formed, a single Service color guard may carry each of the Military Service flags or the senior member of the senior Military Service in the color guard will carry the National Colors in accordance with the Department of the Army Training Circular 3-21.5. (Emphasis mine)

The issue comes when the departmental colors are all topped with the battle-ax finial. Now, if just the national, Navy, and Coast Guard colors were carried, for instance, the battle-ax would be authorized. However, since the Army or Marine Corps colors are carried, their presence requires the standards to match those of the senior services (read The Why of the Military Color Guard – Precedence and Command). When the Air Force, and/or Space Force color is in the mix, the finials also change, because of regs. Let’s take a look at all the applicable manuals.

• Army Regulation 840-10, b. Spearhead (the spearhead is the only device used with Army flags) (see fig 8–2).
• MCO 5060.20, 7-5. j. A metal spearhead screws into the top of the staff and a streamer attachment device may also be affixed to display an organization’s award streamers. (See figure 7-5.)
• AFI 34-1201,
  • 2.10.3.2. When a number of flags are displayed from staffs set in a line, all staffs will be of the same height and have the same style finials, or decorative devices, at the top of the flagpoles (Service specific guidance may differ in a joint environment).
  • 2.34.2. Staff Ornament, Flagstaff Head or Finial. The decorative device at the top of a flagstaff is the finial. It is precedence the eagle finial be used only with the Presidential flag. All finials in a display or ceremony should be the same [emphasis mine -DM]. This does not restrict the display of a state flag from a staff bearing a state device when national and other state flags are displayed from adjacent flagstaffs; however, the Air Force does not provide such devices [neither do the other services, this means it’s a local purchase -DM]. The following finials are authorized for flags used by Air Force organizations:
    • 2.34.2.2. Spade, silver in color (primary finial used by the Air Force).

The conclusions here for finial use for all colors displays and color guards:

1. The Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force are required to only use the flat, silver spade finial.
2. The Navy and Coast Guard (and NOAA, Merchant Mariners, & Public Health) are required to use the battle-ax finial as the standard finial unless certain requirements for a dignitary authorized to receive honors are met.
   1. Arrival/departure ceremony afloat and ashore.
   1. Ceremony display (e.g., back of stage).
   1. Office display.
   1. Deceased’s PC carried at funeral.
3. The finial of the senior service present, whether represented by a flag or individual, must be used.

Why the color bearers in the above photo (c. 1960s) are out of order, I’m not sure. However, I’m posting it because of the mixed finials. Most likely, the protocol of the finials was probably not considered back then.

Service Ensigns, Jacks, and Other Flags

A Naval Jack is a small flag, the size of the canton of the ensign, flown by a sailing vessel, from the jackstaff at the bow (front, ensign at the stern, rear) of the ship when anchored or in port. It serves as a symbol of a ship’s nationality and allegiance.

These flags above are never mounted on a flagstaff and not displayed ashore.

Summary

Fringe on the National is Mandatory

1. The Navy and Coast Guard (and NOAA, Merchant Mariners, and Public Health) must have fringe on the national in static displays and color guards.
2. There is no restriction on fringe except for the Marine Corps regarding the national color/standard. I’ve been wrong for years and it wasn’t until this deep dive into sea service regs, that I realized that there is a definite separation in the sea services, even though they have many similarities.

Finial use is Restricted

1. The standard for the Marine Corps is the spade for static display and when carried in a color guard.
2. The standard for the Navy and Coast Guard (and NOAA, Merchant Mariners, and Public Health) is the battle-ax for static display and when carried in a color guard.
3. NOAA, Merchant Mariners, and Public Health should not have color guards since the uniformed members are officers. Read why here.
4. At other times, finial use is situational, based on individual rank/position or the presence of a sister service.
   • The spade finial is required when other services are involved.

Cord and Tassels

1. A twisted red, white, and blue cord is required on the national for the Marine Corps.
2. A twisted red, white, and blue cord is required on the national for the rest of the sea services when a personal color is displayed and that PC is required to have a cord and tassels. No flag is displayed with more decoration than the national, so the R,W,&B cord must be attached to the national color.
3. When the Marine Corps departmental/organizational color is carried, it must have the twisted scarlet and yellow cord and tassels or service/unit battle streamers.
4. The gold-colored cord and tassels is not authorized in any sea service.
5. Only certain positional colors are authorized a cord and tassels listed in previously mentioned regs.

Flagstaffs

1. For the Navy, Coast Guard, and other sea-based services except for the Marine Corps, the staff is not identified for a static display. To me, this allows the brown staff that does not have the ferrules. This would be the least expensive option instead of replacing thousands of staffs throughout the Navy and Coast Guard. Keep the brown staffs, but you must replace the spread-eagle finials to match the other finials.
2. For a color guard, the light ash wood guidon staff/pike must be used by all sea services as is stated in MCO 5060.20.
3. Staffs for all sea services.
   • Must be light ash wood guidon flagstaffs.
   • Must be 9’6” long.
   • Navy and CG staffs should have gold-colored hardware and the battle-ax finial, but that staff type is very difficult to find. The default is the staff with silver-colored hardware and the Army spade.

Color Guard Manning and Colors Carried

1. Always two guards and a minimum of the US color.
   1. The departmental/organizational is the second color to make a standard color guard. Two Marine Corps organizational colors can be carried when the commanding general is over two organizations authorized a color.
   1. Navy units can add the battalion color (no fringe) as a third flag when the unit is authorized this color.
2. Foreign national colors can be carried when requirements are met.
3. State colors are not authorized to be carried.
   1. We know this because the regs tell us what is authorized, not an endless list of what is not authorized, and state colors are never mentioned.
4. Territory colors can be carried.
   1. The unincorporated territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and US Virgin Islands are considered to be nations under UN treaties and are afforded the same courtesies as independent nations.
   1. These colors can be carried the same way as foreign national colors.
5. Color dimensions
   1. Must be 4’4” long (the fly) x 5’6” tall (the hoist).
   1. Use and display of colors of any other dimensions is not authorized.
   1. Only the Army, Air Force, and Space Force are authorized to display and carry colors that are 3’x4’ on 8’ staffs.

Harnesses and Belts

1. Harnesses are always worn by the color bearers. The harness is never stated to be optional and shown in all photos.
2. The Marine Corps has complete information for Marines to wear harnesses and belts.
3. Harnesses for the Navy should be black and for the Coast Guard should be white. Should be made of leather or web material. This standard was set for each service by the honor guards in Washington DC.
4. Belts are always worn by all members of the team. Belts are never stated to be optional and shown in all photos.
5. Belts for the Navy and Coast Guard should be white (web or pistol belts). This standard was set for each service by the honor guards in DC.

Read about the Spade Marker.