UNITED STATES LINES INC.

Bonsor assigns U129 to 1921–1929: a white legend “UNITED STATES LINES” around an annulet, with a red delta triangle enclosing a three-bladed propeller. His wording calls the propeller red, whereas the illustration has it white. Joe McMillan’s image of 26 August 2001 interprets this verbal description. Mark H. Goldberg later disputed any USL propeller flag, and FOTW moved the illustrations under a qualified “erroneous reports” heading. Rob Raeside suggested that a propeller might be a misreading of rounded USL letters; Rosanoski objected that the field colours also differ.

Bonsor’s verbal description for 1929–1931 produces U131. McMillan’s U130 retains lettering and a propeller even though that description mentions neither; Rosanoski warns that this presumed retention may be wrong.

U76 is a blue swallowtail with a white disc near the hoist and red serif letters arranged U and S above a lower L. Larousse Commercial Illustré angles the letters, including the lower arm of the L, whereas Brown 1929 makes that arm horizontal. Jan Mertens reported the Larousse flag in December 2003; Rosanoski’s image was subsequently posted. Goldberg supplied a similar image in December 2013, but his stated period, “late summer of 1929 through spring of 1929”, is chronologically suspect. Rosanoski found stronger evidence for U76 as the original flag in a 1922 timetable, 1927 cruise brochure, period flag books and a museum cap badge described as used in 1923–1929. The museum’s 1923 origin differs from the 1921 foundation given elsewhere.

Rosanoski argues that a new Chapman-era emblem was used in 1929–1931: a red delta-triangle frame wholly enclosing a red “Y” or heraldic pall, rather than a white propeller. A poster, cap badge and reported butter plate support the emblem. A Time account of 22 April 1929 describes Joanna Chapman hoisting a small triangular flag bearing a “Y” aboard Leviathan when her father completed the purchase. Rosanoski considers this suggestive, not conclusive, evidence that Bonsor’s flags relate to the Chapman period. He explicitly calls a possible connection to Chapman’s earlier utility businesses speculative and regards dismissal of both flags as premature. He subsequently found F. Reid Corson’s The Atlantic Ferry in the Twentieth Century showing a white flag with a blue annulet inscribed “UNITED STATES LINES”, enclosing the red triangular frame and red pall. Corson’s chapter states that it was written in September 1929, providing contemporary support for U355.

The eagle flag U38 was first hoisted on Leviathan on 10 December 1931. Apart from its letters, it replicated the flag first flown by American Line in 1893. McMillan’s image, based on Barraclough & Crampton, shows a blue eagle on white with the line’s initials in the upper hoist, upper fly and lower centre. Rosanoski questions the combination: the date of a black-to-blue change is not supplied, while the letters are said to have been discarded during the 1930s. A 1939 souvenir pin supports use of the eagle design.

The FOTW account dates removal of the initials to 1937, restoring the simple blue eagle on white. U40 appears to have uplifted wings, although Stewart 1963 retains the drooping version. The Book of Flags gives U40 under American Line. McMillan’s illustration of 26 August 2001 cites National Geographic 1934, an earlier reference than the stated removal date.

The National Maritime Museum’s flag, dated about 1951, is white with a blue American eagle and “UNITED STATES LINES” below. It is printed nylon with a cotton hoist, machine sewn and fitted with a cord, measuring 1168.4 by 1879.6 mm. Jarig Bakker’s illustration follows the museum website; the source asks whether this was a special flag, since it differs from the other recorded versions.

U39’s funnel and flag are documented in Brown 1934 and Loughran 1979, with the flag also in the Observor Book of Flags 1959. No separate narrative description is supplied.