Executive Orders

Executive Order 10736--Adopting an official seal for the Department of the Navy

Source: The provisions of Executive Order 10736 of Oct. 23, 1957, appear at 22 FR 8411, 3 CFR, 1954-1958 Comp., p. 394, unless otherwise noted.

WHEREAS the Secretary of the Navy, with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, has caused to be made, and has recommended that I approve, a seal for the Department of the Navy, the design of which accompanies and is hereby made a part of this order and which is described, in heraldic terms, as follows:

On a circular background of fair sky and moderate sea with land in sinister base, a three-masted square-rigged ship under way before a fair breeze with after topsail furled, commission pennant atop the foremast, National Ensign atop the main, and the commodore's flag atop the mizzen. In front of the ship a Luce-type anchor inclined slightly bendwise with the crown resting on the land and, in front of the shank and in back of the dexter fluke, an American bald eagle rising to sinister regarding to dexter, one foot on the ground, the other resting on the anchor near the shank; all in proper colors. The whole within a blue annulet bearing the inscription "DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY" at the top and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" at the bottom, separated on each side by a mullet and within a rim in the form of a rope; inscription, rope, mullet, and edges of annulet all gold;

AND WHEREAS the central device of the seal is essentially the same as that used for more than one hundred years and reflects the denomination given in the act of April 30, 1798, which officially established the Department of the Navy; and

WHEREAS it appears that this seal is of suitable design and appropriate for use as the official seal of the Department of the Navy:

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, I hereby approve this seal as the official seal of the Department of the Navy.