The Daily Flag

USS Constitution in Boston Harbor on July 4, 2007.
U.S. Navy photo by 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden.

The USS Constitution took her yearly cruise around Boston Harbor on July 4th, and I wanted to show you a photograph taken on the occasion. Also known as Old Ironsides, she is the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy. The ship is also the oldest floating warship in the world.

The Constitution is a famous New England-built ship, and a rare surviving example of early warship construction. On permanent exhibit in Boston Harbor, the Constitution is available for touring year-round, free of charge.

Built in Boston, in 1797, the Constitution is a 44-gun wood-hulled frigate. Her nickname “Old Ironsides” comes from the fact that cannon balls bounced off her sides while in combat in the War of 1812. The USS Constitution was one of America’s first warships and has a long history of service to the U.S. Navy.

First US Navy Jack

The Constitution flies a 15 star–15 stripe flag, which was the flag when she was commissioned. The practice of using 13 stripes and a star for each new state began in 1818. Like all the ships in the Navy, she presently flies the first US Navy jack, the famous Revolutionary War flag “Don’t Tread on Me.”

While I was looking for photos of the Constitution, I found some other images that I wanted share. Actually I found dozens but narrowed it down to these!

In the photo at right, USS Constitution fires its guns in salute while underway in Massachusetts Bay, escorted by the frigate USS Halyburton (FFG 40) (center) and the destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61) (right), as the Navy’s “Blue Angels” pass overhead. Commissioned on Oct. 21, 1797, Constitution set sail unassisted for the first time in 116 years. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Todd Stevens.

Tags: 2007, Don't Tread on Me flag, July 4, US Navy Blue Angels, USS Constitution, USS Halyburton (FFG40), USS Ramage (DDG61)