"Stars and Bars" on US uniforms in 1950s

[Mark C]

There were many pop culture fads in 1950s America, and one was the appearance of the Confederate battle flag motif (erroneously called the stars and bars) throughout not just the South, but the rest of the US as well. Besides this example from the federalized 31st Division of the National Guard during the Korean War, the 29th Division from Virginia/Pennsylvania was reported to have festooned its vehicles and other property with Confederate flag images. Federal Army authorities frowned on this sort of thing, but what put a terminal end to it was the appropriation of the symbol by racists, rendering it almost as tainted as the swastika.

I recommend John Coski's book "The Confederate Battle Flag" (Belknap Press, 2005) as an objective and detailed look at the flag's use and acquired meanings from the Civil War to the present day.

Mark C.

Maryland

[Tom Y]

In the interest of clarity and at the risk of being called a redneck or worse, the flag on the bandsman's dispatch case is the Southern Cross. The stars and Bars looks like this:

Unfortunately, this and the noose are beginning to replace the Battle Flag in certain circles here in the US' dangly bit. :(

Edited March 21, 2010 by Tom Y

[gerardkenny]

Just as an aside the Confederate flag is still used in Ireland by Cork hurling supporters. Partly because Cork was always known as the Rebel county. Some people tend to get offended but most people don't mind.

[leigh kitchen]

It was big with the "carrot cruncher" fenland country folk CB-ers in Cambridgeshire during the 1980's, still crops up on vehicles out these-a-ways.