House Flags of U.S. Shipping Companies: V

Vaccaro Brothers

by Jarig Bakker

Vaccaro Bros., New Orleans - horizontal triband blue-white-blue proportioned c. 2:3:2; on white red "V".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies [Wedge 1926]
Jarig Bakker, 12 February 2005

Vacuum Oil Co., Inc.

by Jarig Bakker
Based on Loughran (1979)

by Neale Rosanoski

Vacuum Oil Co. Inc. The flag shown by Loughran 1979 actually has the black lettering 'GARGOYLE' in a shallow arc above it and in an article in Marine News 2/1970 he further states that there was a red line intersecting the letters. This version is also shown by Brown 1929 and 1934. It appears that the lettering differentiated the flag of the US parent company with the UK subsidiary dropping them.
Neale Rosanoski, 22 November 2004

See also: Vacuum Oil Co. Ltd. (United Kingdom)

Valentine Chemical Carriers

Valentine Chemical Carriers, Philadelphia
Again, no further information. Flag green with a large white V.
Source: US Navy's 1961 H.O.

Joe McMillan, 30 November 2001

Valentine Chemical Carrier Inc. Operated the tanker "Petrochem" in the 1960s to the beginning of the 1970s, originally for Charles Kurz & Co. Inc. and then apparently taking it over. US Navy domiciling it as Philadephia possibly refers to the vessels home port as Lloyds show it as a New Jersey company, originally Oradell and then Newark.
Neale Rosanoski, 22 November 2004

Vanderbilt European Line

  by Joe McMillan

Vanderbilt European Line, New York (1855-1861)
This was one of the many shipping ventures begun by "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who built a one-boat ferry operation in New York harbor into one of the great fortunes of the 19th century. This particular line began operations to Le Havre in 1855, to Bremen in 1857, but didn't last long and ceased transatlantic service in 1861 with the outbreak of the Civil War. The flag was white with a red V.
Source:  chart of "Private Signals of the Merchants of New York"
Joe McMillan, 30 November 2001

Vanderbilt European Line. The flag shown for C. Vanderbilt by the quoted source, as shown in "The Clipper Ships", is actually a tapered swallowtail.
Neale Rosanoski, 22 November 2004

Victory Carriers

  by Joe McMillan

Victory Carriers, New York
I believe this was one of the many companies that got its start after World War II using surplus wartime cargo ships (Victory ships, hence the name).  The flag was white with the red letters VC.
Source: US Navy's 1961 H.O., Stewart & Styring (1963)

Joe McMillan, 30 November 2001

US shipping lines house flags - 'W' continued