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Merchant and Marine Flag of Maine (U.S.)

State of Maine

by Dave Martucci, 6 September 1996

Description

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Description

Maine is one of only two U.S. states that has an official "merchant and marine" flag (Massachusetts being the other). On March 16, 1939 a design by Marshall S. Campbell of Waterville was adopted by the 89th Legislature with the following language:

"The flag to be known as the merchant and marine flag of the state shall be of white, at the top of which in blue letters shall be the motto 'Dirigo'; beneath the motto shall be the representation of a pine tree in green color, the trunk of which shall be entwined with the representation of an anchor in blue color; beneath the tree and anchor shall be the name 'Maine' in blue color." This bill was presented by Senator Lewis of Lincoln County and came through the Commerce Committee. The first flag of this design was presented by Governor Lewis O. Barrows to the Schooner Yacht "Dirigo II" upon her launching at East Boothbay in April of 1939. The schooner was built for Chas. Van Sicklen of Northport, Michigan, whose great uncle was one of the owners of the Sewall fleet of steel sailing ships, the first of which was the "Dirigo" launched at E. Boothbay in 1904. By coincidence, Mrs. Sicklen's father was a chief mate of the first "Dirigo," which was torpedoed off the Irish coast during World War I.

On 24 June 1939, a wire phot