Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of the flag subject files of Rear Admiral William Rea Furlong, which were used by Dr. Harold D. Langley, Curator of Naval History, in editing a book on the history of the United States flag begun by Admiral Furlong and Commodore Byron McCandless in October 1962. The files were loaned to Langley around 1971, and later donated to the Division of Armed Forces History. For a more detailed history on Furlong's files and the flag book project, see Langley's "Background Information on Furlong Flag Files." Materials include an extensive body of correspondence of Admiral Furlong with McCandless; photographs and illustrations of various flags of the United States and other countries; magazine articles and newspaper clippings about flags; information on the origin of the U.S. flag book project; and Furlong's research notebooks. Admiral Furlong's original flag manuscript is located in Accession 97-128.