Might want to try the guys over at Vexillology

This is the flag of a former shipping company called United States Lines. That particular design was adopted in 1938 and flown until the company went bankrupt in 1986, so it is possible that it was made during World War II.

It would also help to say where this attic is and why a flag might be there in the first place.

hi the thing that I don't understand is it was with some WW2 stuff from a man who recently died but I just don't think its from that period, its very well made and a few of the people that looked at it says it has the old type stitching

Can you give us a bit more context? Where do you live? Any family members in the military? Was it found with anything else? Can you take a picture of the seams are there any tags?