Naval heraldry
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It is the custom in navies of many countries for ships to receive an individually designed coat of arms, variously called badges, seals or crests. The emblems are commonly rendered in the form of embroidered patches worn by the crew members. They are also commonly plaster casted and painted to give the emblem a three dimensional rendering to be mounted on a place of prominence aboard the ship or in unit headquarters. These might also be mounted on a wooden plaque to be given as gifts to retiring crew members, other ships and cooperative organizations.
As can be expected the naval heraldic tradition mostly follows the tradition of that particular country's heraldry in general, but also has some distinctive features.
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[edit] Royal Australian Navy
Ships, squadrons, and shore establishments of the Royal Australian Navy receive badges. With a circular design, they are topped with the naval crown and a scroll with the owner's name. At the base of the badge, sits a boomerang and crossed weapons. Beneath the entire badge is a scroll with the motto of the organization.
[edit] Royal Canadian Navy
Ships in the Royal Canadian Navy receive badges, specifically designed for each ship. Using a circular design, they are topped with the naval crown and surrounded by a gold rope. Three maple leaves at the bottom of the badge distinguish Canadian badges from those of other Commonwealth Navies.
During World War II, the number of ships being built and commissioned outstriped the ability of a central authority to design and approve. Local authority to the commanding officers of the ships resulted in humorous and risque badges including some cartoon characters. These badges are not considered to be official.
Currently, all badges are reviewed by the Director of Ceremonial and recommended to the Governor General.[1]
[edit] Royal Norwegian Navy
It is customary for each individual ship and other units in the Royal Norwegian Navy to receive an individually designed coat of arms. These coats of arms follow the Norwegian heraldic tradition of being very simple in design. They often feature only one colour, one metal and one motive. They all have the same shield shape and are surrounded by a rope. The shield is sourmounted by the heraldic Crown of Norway atop the ship's name.
The design of the individual shield is often inspired by connections the ship name gives. The HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen is given a shield inspired by the family coat of arms of the Nansen familiy. Others are given shields based on the unit's function. The Naval Schools have a shield depicting a golden anchor and two silver torches of wisdom. All naval coats of arms have to be approved by the King of Norway.
[edit] Royal Navy
The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom assigns badges to every ship, submarine, squadron and shore establishment. Prior to the age of steam ships, ships were identified by their figurehead. With the removal of the figurehead, other means to graphically represent the ships emerged without any direction from the Admiralty.
Following World War I, Charles ffoulkes was appointed Admiralty Advisor on Heraldry and The Ships Names and Mottoes Committee established. The Naval Crown adorns the top of all the badges. The frame is gold rope. Originally, different classes of ships had different shapes, but currently all ships and submarines have a circular design. Shore establishments have an offset square design.
Ships' badges are reused along with the ship name. When the Queen approves the name of a new ship she will also approve the new ship's badge, which may have changed if the shape needs to change.
HMS Chatham is the only Royal Navy ship with an original badge, since none of the previous Chathams bore a badge. [2]
[edit] United States Navy
It is the custom in the United States Navy for ships, bases and other commands to receive an individually designed heraldic emblem. Due to heraldic traditions in the U.S., these emblems usually take the form of seals or crests.
From WWI to the beginning of WWII, some U.S. Navy ships had these insignia, but WWII brought them into general use. During long wartime patrols, crew members designed their own, which flew high on battle flags upon return from patrol. Many ships wrote to top artists to have their insignia designed, while others developed them on their own, frequently through contests. The Korean War saw another upsurge in interest in crests and coats of arms. In the 1950's and 1960's, OPNAVINST 5030.2B encouraged ships to design their own crests, and laid out the procedure for getting official approval for them. Today, the prospective commanding officers of new ships are responsible for designing the crests and submitting them for approval. They have great leeway in determining the design, and may optionally use the services of the U.S. Army's heraldry branch.
[edit] Terminology
For some US Navy ships, the official emblem is called a seal, while others are called a crest. No official distinction seems to exist and sometimes the term is used interchangeably. Some examples where the term "Seal" is used are the aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), in its official description, and USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), in its official description.
Many other ships use the term "crest". This term is used at the official list of ship's crests, at Surface Force Command.
One document which sheds some clarity on this topic is the heraldic description for USS Mahan (DDG-72) ship crest, shown below. The ship's crest and the ship's seal are referred to as distinct (though overlapping) items. This would appear to illustrate at least one way to distinguish the two types of emblems.
- Please note that the ship's crest consists of the shield, and the visual item above it which is the actual item termed the "crest". On the other hand, the term "Seal" refers to both these items when also shown with a large border, (plus any other components). Thus the specific term for this emblem when all components are shown is "Seal", though it appears these terms are often used interchangeably.
[edit] Aircraft Carriers
Description of Coat of Arms: The seal of Carl Vinson shows an eagle, wings spread and talons extended, carrying a banner in its beak. The eagle is emblematic of the nation and the ship's motto, and also represents the power that resides in the ship's aircraft. The eagle flies in the form of a stylized letter "V," the initial of the ship's namesake, Congressman Carl Vinson. The "V" also represents the ships hull when viewed bow-on. Inscribed on the banner the eagle carries is the Latin Phrase "Vis Per Mare" which means "Strength from the Sea." [3]
[edit] Destroyers
USS Mahan (DDG-72)
The seal of Mahan incorporates some noteworthy naval visual elements, since the ship's namesake, Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, is considered one of the foremost proponents of modern US naval strategy.
- SHIELD: Azure, issuing from dexter base a gauntlet Argent garnished or grasping a trident of the like and a torch inflamed saltirewise Proper.
- CREST: From a wreath Argent and Azure, a wreath of laurel and palm Proper surmountd by an annulet Or bearing twelve mullets of the second, overall a compass rose Gules bearing a scroll Proper charged with a mullet of the second.
- MOTTO: A tri-partite scroll Azure doubled and inscribed "Built to Fight"
- SUPPORTERS: A United States Navy officer's sword and a sailor's cutlass saltirewise points down Proper.
- SEAL
- The coat of arms in full color as in the blazon, upon a white background enclosed with a dark blue oval border edged on the outside with a gold rope and bearing the inscription "USS MAHAN" at top and "DDG 72" at bottom in gold.
- SYMBOLISM
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- SHIELD: Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally used by the Navy and represent the sea and excellence. The trident, symbolizing sea power, denotes DDG 72's mission and the importance of a strong Navy. The gauntlet and torch are adapted from the previous USS MAHAN's emblem and highlight the ship's namesake, Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, as the father of all modern navies. The tines of the trident represent the three previous ships named MAHAN, as well as the Officer, Chief Petty Officer and Enlisted Corps of personnel which man the ship.
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- CREST: The central star commemorates the second USS MAHAN's World War II battle honors (five battle stars), earned before she was sunk by Kamikazes. The twelve small stars on the gauntlet denote the battle stars of the third USS MAHAN for service in the Vietnam War. The unfurled scroll underscores Mahan as the author of "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History (1660-1783)". The compass rose and gauntlet represent Mahan's influence of sea power, its strategy and geopolitical importance worldwide. The wreath combines laurel and palm to symbolize honor and victory.
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- "MOTTO: The motto is in honor of Admiral Arleigh Burke and his service to the U.S. Navy. During the commissioning of the USS ARLEIGH BURKE, Admiral Burke issued the following challenge to those who man this class of ship: "This ship is built to fight; you'd better know how."
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- SUPPORTERS: The crossed swords express strength through teamwork and cooperation from the Enlisted and Officer Corps. Represented are the enlisted cutlass and the officer sword.
[edit] Supply ships
Here is the Ship's Seal for the USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10) . [4]
This seal for a supply ship incorporates a few notable elements. Note the Horn of Plenty symbols and grenade symbols, both alluding to the ship's supply function. The bridge in the center of the shield alludes to the ship's namesake, Commodore Horatio Bridge, who served as Head of the Bureau of Provision and Clothing from 1854-1869. The eagle, and blue and yellow staff, reflect his Navy service. The blue and grey sash carried by the eagle alludes to the Civil War.
The bridge image also subtly alludes to the ship's function, in the sense that a bridge also conveys important items over a body of water. Many Navy ship emblems try to combine some symbol of the ship's mission, with some allusion to the ship's namesake.
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.naval-museum.mb.ca/badges/index.htm
- ^ http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3650
- ^ http://www.cvn70.navy.mil/facts/shipseal.htm
- ^ http://www.bridge.navy.mil/htm/namesake.htm
[edit] External links
- US Navy website
- List of US Navy official ship websites
- List of Ships Crests, at Surface Force Command
- NavSource Online. Patches from WWII to the present are shown in articles on individual ships.
- US Army Institute of Heraldry insignia list
