Before being incorporated into the Coast Guard, the Lifesaving Service was divided into 12 districts. Stations in each district were distinguished by a pennant divided into three vertical stripes, blue, white, and red, with a white star in the upper hoist. This pennant was displayed below a flag identifying the district:
1st District (Maine and New Hampshire) - Solid red.
2nd District (Massachusetts) - Divided horizontally white over blue.
3rd District (Rhode Island and Long Island, NY) - Solid blue.
4th District (New Jersey) - Divided horizontally white over red.
5th District (Cape Henlopen (mouth of Delaware River) to Cape Charles (mouth of Chesapeake Bay)) - Divided horizontally blue over white.
6th District (Cape Henry (mouth of Chesapeake Bay) to Cape Fear, North Carolina) - Divided horizontally red over blue.
7th District (South Carolina, Georgia, Atlantic coast of Florida) - Divided horizontally red over white.
8th District (Gulf of Mexico coast) - Solid red swallowtailed.
9th District (Lakes Erie and Ontario) - Solid white swallowtailed.
10th District (Lakes Huron and Superior) - Solid blue swallowtailed.
11th District (Lake Michigan) - Swallowtailed, divided horizontally red over white.
12th District (Pacific Coast) - Swallowtailed, white with blue stripes along upper and lower edges.
Joe McMillan, 30 June 2001 Source: "Official Danger, Distress and Storm Signal Codes for Signal Service Sea-Coast Stations and Mariners (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1883) (a small book issued by the War Department's Chief Signal Officer)
![[Flag of Lifesaving Service]](../images/u/us_lss.gif)
image by Joe McMillan, 30 June 2001