The Coast Guard ensign has sixteen perpendicular stripes alternate red and white, beginning with the red at the hoist. In the upper quarter, next to the hoist, is the union, being the Coat of Arms of the United States, in dark blue on a white field, half of the length of the flag, and extending down the hoist halfway. The distinctive emblem of the Coast Guard in blue and white is placed with its center on a line with the lower edge of the union and over the center of the seventh vertical red stripe from the hoist of the flag, the emblem covering a horizontal space of three stripes.