Red Cross Flag

Red Cross Flag

ca. 1918

May 8th is World Red Cross Day, a day to recognize the hard work and dedication of Red Cross staff and volunteers responding to emergencies and crises worldwide. Although this day was first celebrated in 1948, the Red Cross has been operating since 1863 in Europe, and 1881 in the US. The American Red Cross is tasked with providing services to members of the American armed forces and their families as well as providing disaster relief in the US and worldwide.

This Red Cross flag embodies the spirit and dedication of the American Red Cross. It is the original flag issued in 1917 to the medical detachment of the 314th Engineers who served with the First Battalion from 1918 to 1919 as they pushed east across France into Germany. Included in the frame with the flag are a roster of the medical detachment members and a brief authorization of the flag’s authenticity. Looking at the flag, you can see that it was a firsthand witness to the war and likely saw scores of wounded men cared for by Red Cross members on the battlefields of Europe.