Comments on: Why Are Flags Flown at Half-Staff in Times of Mourning?

By: Mike Engle

Mike Engle — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:32:40 +0000

Which US flags are NEVER lowered to half-staff? I know the Iwo Jima Memorial is one such flag. This isn’t a trivia question, it’s a related question of curiosity on my end.

By: dm funk

dm funk — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:06:30 +0000

thanks for the info. things like this really complete one’s education about life and other valuable things. now, i’d like to see an article about the 21 gun salute. i read about it once and just can’t remember the whos, whats and whatevers regarding the 21 gun salute (usually at stately funerals, etc.). keep going – you guys are the best!

By: micha

micha — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:43:44 +0000

On 9/11 I was working in a building opposite Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan. After the first airplane strike, they cleared out the building, leaving us milling in the streets for a while. (There is no above-ground route away from the area that doesn’t take you closer to the World Trade Center.) Eventually they cleared out the FDR Drive (a highway along the river on the far side of the width Manhattan) — one side was ambulances heading to, the other side, people walking from. But during that period, we didn’t know what to do.

Someone climbed the flagpole in the corner of the park, not far from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. Must have been a couple of minutes after the second tower was hit. He unknotted the cord, and lowered Old Glory to half-mast.

-micha

By: Justin D

Justin D — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 06:12:31 +0000

Also, it is traditions to fly the flag at half mast when members of the military are killed. It was always a bad day in Iraq when we awoke to the camp’s flag flying at half mast.

By: William V.

William V. — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:26:40 +0000

Nice column. The title of the top American judge is “Chief Justice of the United States,” not “of the Supreme Court,” however. See 28 U.S. Code 1.

By: Ken Turner

Ken Turner — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:10:12 +0000

How can someone die on a trip to Canada in 1612 when Canada didn’t exist until 1867?

By: Brent Alexander

Brent Alexander — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:23:47 +0000

I was wondering when it was or was not appropriate to fly the flag at half mast. Thanks for the info.

By: Jonny

Jonny — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:49:41 +0000

If I read any more about half-mast and half-staff, I’m going to have to say something wholly inappropriate.

By: Doug

Doug — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:49:09 +0000

There’s more about half-staff vs. half-mast here:
http://ushistory.org/flag/faq.asp#q62

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:29:48 +0000

In the British tradition, it is HALF MAST, whether maritime or terestrial. The flag is hoisted to its full height then lowered by one flag’s length.