<P> The flag has been displayed on every U.S. spacecraft designed for manned flight, including Mercury, Gemini, Apollo Command / Service Module, Apollo Lunar Module, and the Space Shuttle . The flag also appeared on the S - IC first stage of the Saturn V launch vehicle used for Apollo . But since Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo were launched and landed vertically and were not capable of horizontal atmospheric flight as the Space Shuttle did on its landing approach, the "streaming" convention was not followed and these flags were oriented with the stripes running horizontally, perpendicular to the direction of flight . </P> <P> On some U.S. military uniforms, flag patches are worn on the right shoulder, following the vehicle convention with the union toward the front . This rule dates back to the Army's early history, when both mounted cavalry and infantry units would designate a standard bearer, who carried the Colors into battle . As he charged, his forward motion caused the flag to stream back . Since the Stars and Stripes are mounted with the canton closest to the pole, that section stayed to the right, while the stripes flew to the left . Several US military uniforms, such as flight suits worn by members of the United States Air Force and Navy, have the flag patch on the left shoulder . </P> <P> Other organizations that wear flag patches on their uniforms can have the flag facing in either direction . The congressional charter of the Boy Scouts of America stipulates that Boy Scout uniforms should not imitate U.S. military uniforms; consequently, the flags are displayed on the right shoulder with the stripes facing front, the reverse of the military style . Law enforcement officers often wear a small flag patch, either on a shoulder, or above a shirt pocket . </P> <P> Every U.S. astronaut since the crew of Gemini 4 has worn the flag on the left shoulder of his or her space suit, with the exception of the crew of Apollo 1, whose flags were worn on the right shoulder . In this case, the canton was on the left . </P>

Meaning of the colors on the american flag