Even for the Coast Guard Historian’s Office, the flag was a special donation. Collections Manager Stanley Contrades — who has seen more than his share of artifacts — was in awe. This flag, he told MyCG, “’saw’ what the cutters and this group of ships did [on the Coast Guard’s Northwest Passage mission]. It’s that tangible connection to the voyage and to the [service’s] accomplishments.”
This was the original flag flown by Coast Guard Cutter SPAR, one of three Coast Guard cutters to officially chart the fabled Northwest Passage for the first time in the summer of 1957. The Storis and Bramble also took part in the famed voyage. Petty Officer 3rd Class Frederick R. LePalm was a quartermaster aboard the SPAR that fateful summer.
He was inspired by other ships’ custom flags and got permission from his commanding officer to create one. “His crowning glory was that Arctic trip,” said his daughter, Beverly Selleck.
The quartermaster’s flag is being considered for display in the National Coast Guard Museum — which is scheduled to open in 2026 — or as part of a flag exhibition at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Wherever it is displayed, it will be cared for and preserved by a team of specialists. And it is back where it belongs, Selleck told MyCG. “It’s home.”
Donating the flag back to the Coast Guard was a clear choice to Selleck and her two siblings, Gary and Bonnie. The flag “immortalizes” their father and represents all the brave men who made the voyage through the Northwest Passage, Selleck said.
Every decision to donate items like LePalm’s flag makes a big difference, Contrades stressed. “We cannot tell the Coast Guard’s story the way it should be told without donations from the public.” In other words, donating your items prevents pieces of history from being lost to history. And it ensures that future generations can see, hear, and touch the Coast Guard’s storied past.
The flag is already connecting the Service’s past to America’s future through LePalm’s family. It’s even sparked a budding interest in Coast Guard ships for LePalm’s seven-year-old great-granddaughter, who recently enjoyed a tour of Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw.
If you or someone you know has an item that you think belongs in the Coast Guard Museum or archive, contact the Historian’s Office at history@uscg.mil.
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