PACIFIC FAR EAST LINE INC.

The blue flag bears a golden bear below script PFEL lettering; ship names ended in Bear. Mariposa confirms the funnel, with the bear apparently facing forward on both sides. The source compares it with California Maritime Academy’s Golden Bear II funnel, distinguished by the academy’s sky-blue field. Mitchell gives orange bands and bear, while The Log does not mention ground beneath the flag’s bear. These passages and the bibliography alternate between P107 and P197.

Stewart and US Navy differ in brown, yellow and orange colouring, and show the funnel bear walking aft, contrary to a portside Monterey photograph showing it forward. Stewart’s early fluttering flags leave the ground line uncertain, but the 1963 version has a definite initial wiggle. Rosanoski used the blue of an actual flag for this illustration without claiming that US Navy specified the same shade.

An actual flag offered on eBay has all letters and charges outlined in black and a straight ground line.

Joe McMillan’s FOTW drawing follows US Navy, but its device is larger and the intended blue remains uncertain.

The source notes straight-line lettering as the main difference, although the narrative prints P596 while the corresponding bibliography lists P586.