1917 WWI Living Flag Photo of 10,000 Sailors Great Lakes Naval Training Station

Fine Historical Photograph

Title: 1917 WWI “Living Flag” Photograph – Great Lakes Naval Training Station

Photographer / Distributor: Mayhart Studio, Chicago

Year: 1917

Medium: Original Gelatin Silver Print

Orientation: Portrait

Colour: Black & White

Framing: Framed (vintage frame)

Image size:  27cm x 34.5cm (11" x 14")

Frame size: 43cm x 60cm (17" x 24")

Stamp: Sequential production number 26208 (original WWI distribution)

Condition: Photograph shows visible tears and age‑related wear, consistent with 100+ year-old wartime ephemera. Frame shows handling marks. Despite flaws, the image remains highly displayable and retains original printed documentation card.

About the Photograph

This is an original 1917 WWI “Living Flag” photograph created at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, the largest naval training facility in the United States during the First World War. The image captures an extraordinary patriotic display: 10,000 sailors arranged with military precision to form a massive American flag measuring 120 feet by 180 feet.

The photograph was taken from a tower approximately 70 feet high, allowing the entire formation to be captured in perfect perspective. Every sailor stands at attention, many saluting, creating a powerful wartime morale image produced during the crucial months when the United States entered WWI.

These “living flag” photographs were part of a broader patriotic movement in 1917–1918, where large-scale human formations depicted national symbols, military emblems, and iconic figures such as Woodrow Wilson and the Statue of Liberty. The Great Lakes Naval Training Station produced some of the most impressive examples, and this photograph is one of the best-known compositions from the period.

Original Documentation Included

This example retains the original printed information card, which provide detailed technical and historical data:

• Flag covered 7½ acres of ground
• Stars measured 65 feet and 6 feet across
• Engineer and assistants took 4 weeks to lay out the ground
• 9650 men in the flag, 1600 in white stripes, 1900 in red stripes
• 3400 men in the star’s field
• Sold under license by the State Council of Defense of Illinois
• Distributed by Mayhart Co., Chicago for $1.00 per copy

The presence of this card significantly strengthens authenticity and collector value, as many surviving examples are missing one or both.

Historical Significance

In April 1917, the United States entered the First World War. Patriotic imagery became a vital tool for morale, recruitment, and national unity. Photographs like this were sold by discharged sailors, with royalties supporting the Naval Athletic Fund.

The sequential number 26208 stamped on your copy indicates it was part of the original wartime distribution run. These numbers were applied by hand and represent the order of production or fulfilment. Surviving numbered examples are highly desirable among collectors of WWI naval history.

Collector Appeal

This photograph appeals strongly to collectors of:

• WWI military history
• Naval history
• Americana and patriotic ephemera
• Great Lakes Naval Training Station memorabilia
• Early 20th-century photography

Even with condition flaws, the combination of original documentation, studio attribution, and wartime provenance makes this a highly desirable historical artifact.