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History of the Troop Flag


Stevenengr

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Hello all!

 

As part of our Woodbadge project (Boisterous Beavers of C-37-02), we are trying to pull together a history of the Troop Flag, such meanings behind the colors, the significance of the design, etc. I have discussed the issue with the Archives group at National and got some basics, but nothing on the history. I assume that semaphore flags played a role in the design, but I have not heard/read anything suggesting that supposition. Can anyone help?

 

 

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Cavalry troops correspond to infantry companies and artillery batteries. Company level units never had more than a guidon. Battalions and regiments are currently equipped with a full set of colors. In the US army today, regiments no longer exist. Divisions are composed of brigades that are composed of a mixture of battalions with no separate regimental headquarters. The unit flags carred by battalions are actually regimental flags. As I recall, the base color of the regimental flags corresponds in the US army to the color traditionally associated with the branch of the service. I was in the artillery and our regimental flags were always red. It seems to me that armored units, descended from the cavalry, carry yellow flags. Someone currently in the army can help me out on this.

 

All this leads to the question as to why a white base color was chosen for boy scout troop flags. Probably out of convenience.

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