Events/Dates for Flying the Flags at Half Staff

              The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position.  The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.  By “half-staff” is meant lowering the flag to one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff.  Crepe streamers may be affixed to spear heads or flagstaffs in a parade only by order of the President of the United States. 

              When flags of states, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak.  When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last.  No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the right of the flag of the United States (the viewer’s left).  When the flag is half-masted, both flags are half-masted, with the US flag at the mid-point and the other flag below.

              On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff.  By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory.  The flag should be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of any Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress.  The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day.