The word "blue bark" is an old Navy term, from the days of the
Ships-of-the-line. War ships could be identified by a gold line the
adorned the trim of the ship. When the captain of the ship, or
another shipmate, died while in battle (and eventually just at
sea), the gold line was painted blue to allow other ships and those
waiting at the dock time to render honors. The term "blue bark"
comes from this tradition of painting the bark blue and is at least
as old as the USS Constitution. The word "blue bark" is an old Navy
term, from the days of the Ships-of-the-line. War ships could be
identified by a gold line the adorned the trim of the ship. When
the captain of the ship, or another shipmate, died while in battle
(and eventually just at sea), the gold line was painted blue to
allow other ships and those waiting at the dock time to render
honors. The term "blue bark" comes from this tradition of painting
the bark blue and is at least as old as the USS Constitution.