Guam's Flag History

The Guam Flag was designed by Mrs. Helen L. Paul, the wife of an American naval officer and was officially adapted as the territorial flag by Governor Roy C. Smith in 1917. The background of the flag is a striking deep blue, which represents the ocean, accented by a red border. In the center of the flag is an oval figure in the shape of a sling stone used by the ancient Chamoru. The flying proa, a swift, seagoing canoe, typifies the courage of the first inhabitants who traveled intrepidly across the Pacific Ocean. The coconut tree growing in barren sand depicts the determination of the earliest settlers to overcome whatever natural causes confronted them.

The blueprint is of the flag and the design was approved by order of the governor, Captain Roy C. Smith, on 4 July 1917. The colors of the components are marked in the lower left corner.

It appears the flag was officially adopted on Feb 9th 1948 and modified in 1960 when red border was added.