On October 16, 1945, in a ceremony at Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos, the Army and Navy presented the E Flag Production Award to the team of scientists, engineers, military personnel, academics, and others who worked at the secret Project Y site in Northern New Mexico, helping end World War II.
The flag dates to the early 20th century, when it was a Navy award. During World War II, the award was combined with awards presented by the Army and the Army-Navy Munitions Board. The E Flag recognized exceptional performance in the production of war equipment, and the combined award was given only between 1942 and 1945.
Pictured below, then–Lab Director J. Robert Oppenheimer, Army General Leslie Groves (head of the Manhattan Project), University of California President Robert Sproul, and Navy Commodore William “Deak” Parsons stand with the flag. Above, current Lab Director Thom Mason stands beside the same flag, now hanging in the Los Alamos Weapons Conference Center in the Lab’s National Security Sciences Building. The flag is a tribute to the Laboratory’s exemplary wartime service and is also a reminder of the rich history of collaboration between Los Alamos and the armed services. After more than 75 years, this partnership continues to ensure the security of the nation.
