

Navy ships, have worn the flag of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as a distinctive mark. Since then, commissioned ships of the NOAA fleet, which also wear the same national ensign as U.S. Navy ships, ships of the Survey flew the Coast and Geodetic Survey flag as a "distinctive mark" until the newly created National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) took over control of the Survey 's ships in 1970. Although they continued to wear the same ensign as U.S. On 16 January 1899, commissioned ships of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey were authorized to wear their own flag to distinguish them from ships of the United States Navy, with which they shared a common ensign. The flag of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, flown by all commissioned ships of the NOAA fleet as a "distinctive mark."
