I'm trying to find if anyone knows about the christian flag being flown aboard ship. My husband was a submariner and he says that there was a specific phrase that was announced when church services were about to begin aboard ship. We have been researching for 2 days now and still don't have an answer and, of course, the phrase completely illudes my hubby. Any help will be appreciated...

[Peter Ansoff]

I'm trying to find if anyone knows about the christian flag being flown aboard ship.

Hi. Rather than the Christian flag, you are probably think of the church pennant. This is a special pennant that is flown at the flag staff while religious services are being held on a Navy ship. The church pennant is mentioned in the flag code as the only flag that should ever fly above the US flag.

There are two versions of the church pennant, a Christian version with a cross and a Jewish version with the tablets of Moses. There are pictures of both versions here:

Miscellaneous U.S. Navy Flags

(Now that there are Muslim chaplains in the Navy, we may see a Muslim church pennant sometime soon. Presumably, it would substitute a crescent or crescent-and-star for the cross and the tablets.)

My husband was a submariner and he says that there was a specific phrase that was announced when church services were about to begin aboard ship.

You've got me there. My memory is that it was just "divine services are now being held in the crew's mess," or something similar. I do still remember this one, however:

"Now there are men working in the sail.
Do not raise, lower, rotate or radiate from any masts or antennas,
Do not operate the fairwater planes.
There are men working in the sail."

(Did I get it right? (-; )

Best regards,

Peter Ansoff