A 48-star American ensign was flown on the USS LST-493.
The USS LST-493 was a ship-to-shore transport ship, that delivered supplies to troops on Gold Beach during the D-Day Offensive at Normandy. Making her first landing in the early afternoon of June 7th, she then turned around to go back to England to begin what would be nine months of cargo runs to various beachheads in France to support Allied forces.
“When I first saw this flag I was overwhelmed with the struggle and the power of the human spirit. While the human experience is itself exceptional, those who deny the will to endure and the willingness free mankind from those who wish to control and oppress miss what makes the average American truly exceptional throughout the world,” Glenn said.
The flag remains a poignant American symbol of the spirit of freedom, hope and personal sacrifice --- the American ideals that ended the tyranny of the Axis Powers. During the Normandy Invasion, the practice of going ashore with a national flag was forbidden so only naval flags such as this one exist to tell the tale of the Battle.
This precious artifact is part of Mercury One’s collection and is displayed at events around the country.
48-star American ensign from the Mercury One historical collection. Photo courtesy of Mercury One.
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Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.