Community Corner

Mourning Flag, at Half-Staff, Should be Flown on 9/11—Patriot Day

Bea Waggett-Brunner: "If your flag can not be lowered to half-staff ... attach a black ribbon or streamer on the pole just above the top edge of the flag."

To the editor:

Patriot Day is Sept. 11, the 10th anniversary of 9/11, a time to display America’s Mourning Flag.

A ‘mourning’ flag is a flag flown at half-staff (the midpoint on the display pole) either all day or part of a day on patriotic days or to honor or remember those who have passed away. Additionally, displaying a Mourning Flag can be proclaimed by the U.S. president or governor of an individual state when appropriate.

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If your flag can not be lowered to half-staff (such as those on many homes), protocol can still be displayed. Attach a black ribbon or streamer on the pole just above the top edge of the flag. The ribbon or streamer should be the same width as a stripe on the flag (not wider), the same length as the flag, and on a two-tail ribbon, the ends should be even (not one longer than the other).

For a wall-mounted flag, three black mourning bows should be attached to the top edge of the flag, one at each corner and one in the center.

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How to fly your flag at half-staff:

When raising the flag to half staff on a vertical pole, always raise it briskly to the top of the flagpole for a moment before lowering it. When taking it down for the night, raise it to the top of the flagpole again and lower it to the bottom.

With a telescoping pole, it is acceptable to put the USA flag on the second set of rings instead of the top set. In this case the top set would be left empty.

When the United States flag is flown at half-staff, state and other flags should be removed or flown at half-staff too.

Customary dates to display flag at half-staff:

  • Peace Officers Memorial Day, May 15
  • Memorial Day, last Monday in May (Flag raised to full staff at noon)
  • Korean War Veterans Day, July 27
  • Patriot Day, Sept. 11
  • Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Dec. 7

Bea Waggett-Brunner, La Mesa


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