Height x Width x Depth (mounted on support): 24 7/8 × 37 5/8 × 1/8 in. (63.18 × 95.57 × 0.32 cm)
Type:
Structures & Furnishings
Place:
United States of America
Date:
c. 1924-1926
Description:
The Post Office Department’s airmail flag shows the red, white, and blue colors of the U.S. and uses the image of a winged globe to emphasize the intended global reach of the service. The Department also placed the winged globe symbol on flight suits and hangars.
Airmail service began in earnest on May 15, 1918, in the United States. The Post Office Department was given charge of the service. The first pilots and airplanes used by the Department were from the U.S. Army Air Corps, but on August 12, 1918, the Department took full control of the service, using its own pilots and mechanics. The original name of the service was the 'Aerial Mail Service'. Over the next few years, the name changed to the 'U.S. Air Mail Service', as is reflected on this flag.
