To return to the SS 320 home page
click here.
The location or existence of the Bergall's battle flag has been
found after 57 years!
While many flags were designed by the Walt Disney Studios, ours was made by a crew member.
Please note in the above picture, taken from after she left the war area, that there are 5 "meatballs" and 5 "rising sun" pennants hanging down from the extended periscope.
Joe Parenteau, QM3C, is credited with designing it and updating it as the war progressed. The last modification should have 5 "meatballs" and 5 "rising sun" emblems to reflect what they believe was their war total. Joe had the flag after the war and gave it to his best friend and shipmate Robert "Bobby Sox" Faselt before his death. A few years later Robert gave the flag to his son Wiley. It was stored with family thinking it was a Japanese flag, a souvenir from one of the boats they sank.
A grainy blow up of the flag from 1945 can be seen here. Clearly visible is the "13" and the horseshoe turned (unusual) with the tangs down. Presumably to indicate that the luck was pouring down on the boat...
Harder to detect, circling from the lower left clockwise are alternating "Rising Sun" and "Meatball" flags (totaling 7 on the flag). We kept trying to figure out what's in the direct center!!! Then Wiley dug in the trunk and looked to see "exactly what he had!
These are the pictures of the original Battle Flag that Wiley Faselt has.
To return to the main Battle Flag page... go HERE
To return to the SS 320 home page
click here.