From 1777 to 1975, 1977 to September 2002, and June 2019 to the present, the United States Navy has flown a "union jack", consisting of the blue canton with white stars from the US national ensign. In 1975 and 1976, and then again from September 11, 2002 to June 4, 2019, the US Navy flew the First Navy Jack, allegedly used in 1775 and 1776, with a rattlesnake and the motto "DONT TREAD ON ME" ("sic") superimposed on thirteen alternating red and white stripes.