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The
Santa
Maria
is
the
flag
ship
of
Christopher
Columbus
on
which
he
sailed
from
Palos
on
August
3,
1492
in
the
southwest
of
Spain.
After
having
visited
the
Canary
Islands
he
crossed
the
Atlantic
ocean
in
36
days
and
discovered
America
on
October
12,
1492.
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The
Templar
Knights
used
the
original
version
of
the
Maltese
Cross
(sometimes
known
as
"Celtic
Cross"
or
"St-John's
Cross")
on
their
uniforms
and
flags
from
1147
to
the
end
of
the
Crusades.
This
cross
became
closely
associated
with
them,
and
has
been
called
"Templar
Cross"
by
medieval
chroniclers.
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The
triangular
banner
of
the
83rd
Infantry
of
Pennsylvania.
This
unit
was
commanded
during
the
American
Civil
War
by
colonel
Strong
Vincent,
who
was
killed
in
combat
on
July
2
1863
during
the
battle
of
Gettysburg
(Little
Round
Top).
As
brigade
commander,
Strong
Vincent
was
the
immediate
superior
of
colonel
Joshua
Chamberlain
(20th
Maine
Regiment). |
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Historian
Eusebius
states
that
Constantine
I
was
marching
with
his
army
before
the
Battle
of
Milvian
Bridge
in
312
AD
when
he
looked
up
to
the
sun
and
saw
a
cross
of
light
with
Greek
words
rendered
in
Latin
as
"In
Hoc
Signo
Vinces"
("By
this
sign,
you
will
be
victorious").
Constantine
won
the
battle
and
started
on
the
path
that
led
him
to
legalize
christianity
and
become
the
sole
ruler
of
the
Roman
Empire. |
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The
Latin
phrase
"In
Hoc
Signo
Vinces"
was
also
displayed
on
the
flag
of
the
Régiment
de
Dillon,
which
served
with
the
Irish
Brigade
of
France
and
fought
on
the
American
side
at
the
Siege
of
Savannah
in
1779
and
at
the
Siege
of
Yorktown
in
1781
during
the
American
Revolution.
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The
Winged
Sun
is
a
symbol
associated
with
divinity,
royalty
and
power
in
the
ancient
civilisations
of
Egypt,
Mesopotamia,
Persia,
Greece
(Staff
of
Hermes)
and
the
Hebrews
(Malachi
4:2).
The
picture
on
the
left
is
a
detail
of
the
stele
to
Assurnasiripal
II
found
at
Nimrud
(9th
century
BC).
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From
the
early
years
of
the
XXth
century
up
to
now,
the
Winged
Globe
has
been
used
as
a
symbol
of
aviation.
The
picture
on
the
left
is
the
Congressional
Medal
of
Honor
of
the
US
Air
Force,
the
United
States
highest
military
honor.
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