First Navy Jack
The First Navy Jack was the flag of the early Continental Navy. It has traditionally been shown as consisting of 13 horizontal alternating red and white stripes with a superimposed rattlesnake and the motto "Don't Tread on Me." The rattlesnake had long been a symbol of resistance to the British in Colonial America.
In 1775 Commodore Esek Hopkins issued a set of fleet signals to the Continental Navy in the Delaware River. Included was an directive to fly a striped Jack. Its display on the fledging Continental Navy in 1775 was in line with public sentiment at the time.
The design of the First Navy Jack has never been accurately determined. In 1980 Edward Hildago, the Secretary of the Navy, directed that the ship with the longest active status shall display the First Navy Jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive service. Then the flag will be passed to the next ship in line.
On September 30, 1998, USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) became the oldest active status ship in the United States Navy upon the decommissioning of USS Independence (CV 62).
On September 2, 2002 The CNO directed all United States Navy ships to fly this flag in honor of those killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks and will be flown for the duration of the War on Terrorism.