99% Invisible Flag Days: Good Luck, True South
Jun 8, 2021
Joe Rosenberg, a producer known for his storytelling prowess, shares the emotional history of Japanese good luck flags, gifted to soldiers during WWII with heartfelt messages from loved ones. Kurt Kolstad, a contributor and Antarctica enthusiast, discusses the intriguing lack of an official flag for the frozen continent, despite its many national representations. Together, they explore themes of memory, reconciliation, and the significance of flags as symbols of community and national identity.
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Museum Discovery
- Joe Rosenberg discovered a unique Japanese flag at the Alameda Naval Air Museum.
- It was a Hinomaru covered in handwritten messages.
Good Luck Flags
- The flag was a "good luck flag" (yosagaki hinomaru), a WWII Japanese tradition.
- Messages included well wishes, personal notes, and sometimes militant statements.
Flag Origins
- The tradition's exact origin is unknown, but it likely began in the 1930s.
- Soldiers often received multiple flags from family, work, and community groups.
