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Can you help with maritime flag identification?

Asked by jnkpauley (226points) July 15th, 2015

My uncle served in the US Navy in World War II. He also served in the Coast Guard and the Lighthouse Service in Washington State. A banner of his was passed down to me several years ago. Embroidered on the banner are three flags, 4 seagulls, a compass rose, and 3 red stars with yellow circles in the center. Flag #1 has 3 horizontal stripes (red, white red). There is a blue “W” in the center of the white field. Flag #2 has a red field with a black circle in the center. Flag #3 has a blue field with a white circle in the center which has a red “K” in the circle. My late mother believed this banner was connected in some way to my uncle’s lighthouse service career, but I cannot find anything online that helps identify the flags or other symbols, (although I did find a red flag with a black circle which signifies “storm warning”). I would like to donate the banner to a museum or lighthouse but am not sure where to start. Any insights by students of vexillology are most welcomed! I am happy to provide an image if this would be helpful.

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