# Half staff flag **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2000, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258 "2000-10-17T14:40:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/1 "2000-10-17T14:40:52Z")
Who makes the decision that flags need to be flown at half staff? Also do other countries in the world do this besides America? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/2 "2000-10-17T14:48:10Z")
Q: What does a flag at half-staff outside the Post Office mean? A: “Help Wanted” ---
**Author:** ![charizard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charizard/32/4166_2.png) [@charizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/charizard)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/3 "2000-10-17T14:57:00Z")
There’s no central authority for half-mast-flag-flying. This is a decision made individually by each organization flying the flag. Occasionally, in times of national mourning, you will hear a public figure suggest that flags be flown at half mast, but it remains merely a suggestion. On a side note, I sometimes wonder how many people responsible for raising flags know the official protocol. You’re supposed to raise the flag all the way to the top first, then lower it half-way. Bet we could catch a lot of them on this. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/4 "2000-10-17T15:05:45Z")
And the reverse when lowering: raise it to the top, then bring it down. I was one of the designated flag-raisers at my elementary school. My friend and I would arrive early each school day and raise the flag, then take it down after school and fold it. Fortunately, in those days (late 1970s) we never needed to fly the school flag at half mast. I’m always amazed at people who are patriotic enough to fly the flag, but fly one that’s in tatters or faded or both. Our neighbors when I was a kid had a flagpole, and after one terrible ice storm we awoke to find bits of their flag embedded in the half inch of ice that coated the sidewalk, the yard, our cars, etc. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/5 "2000-10-17T15:06:06Z")
Hold on, **char.** Maybe it’s a suggestion to private individuals, but Presidents can certainly _order_ flags to be flown half-staff on post offices and other federal buildings, as can governors on state buildings, and mayors on fire houses, police precincts, parks and city buildings. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/6 "2000-10-17T15:18:15Z")
Back home in Denmark, there’s a list of “official flag days”, where most people (and all public offices with a flagpole) will fly the flag. Two of these are official “half-staff days”, namely Good Friday (flag at half staff the entire day) or the anniversary of the German invasion (flag at half staff until noon). Danes, BTW, are crazy about their flag and will fly it at the slightest provocation. S. Norman ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/7 "2000-10-17T15:25:55Z")
“Danes, BTW, are crazy about their flag and will fly it at the slightest provocation.” Consider this a provoke. I dare ya! ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/8 "2000-10-17T15:31:56Z")
OK, I’ve just scotch-taped a two-foot “Dannebrog” to my monitor. So there! S. Norman ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/9 "2000-10-17T16:01:35Z")
This is what it says in [US Code Title 36 Section 175](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/36/175.html): > [@](#): > > (m) 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. 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. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff. The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty days from the death of the President or a former President; ten 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 an 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 halfstaff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection - > (1) the term ‘‘half-staff’’ means the position of the flag when > it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the > staff; > (2) the term ‘‘executive or military department’’ means any > agency listed under sections 101 and 102 of title 5; and > (3) the term ‘‘Member of Congress’’ means a Senator, a > Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from > Puerto Rico. For those that want the thorough answer. Of course, I think this only covers flags on federal government buildings. ---
**Author:** ![labradorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@labradorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labradorian)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2000, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/10 "2000-10-17T18:10:57Z")
In Canada, the Speaker of the House of Commons can order the flag over Parliament lowered on certain occasions; the Governor-General can order flags at federal properties lowered; as can the provincial Lieutenant-Governors on provincial properties; and on occasions of national mourning (e.g., the recent death of former PM Trudeau), government _asks_ private citizens to do the same, but there’s no jurisdiction to order anyone to do anything. Of course, by the time the orders are requests are officially made, most flag-flying folk have already lowered their pennant. ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/11 "2000-10-18T05:53:58Z")
To hell with US Code; Cecil himself covered this in his very first book! ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/12 "2000-10-18T13:18:19Z")
When I was in college I worked as a bellman at the Holiday Inn. During breaks & holidays & such I would occasionally work the morning shift, and part of the morning shift’s bellman duties was to raise our flags (we had six: one each for MO, KS, AR and OK, and two U.S.). It was during this time that Richard Nixon died. Despite Cecil’s suggestion in his first book that the sitting president, upon the death of Richard Nixon, order a 30-day period of embarassed throat-clearing, President Clinton did, indeed, order a 30-day period of mourning. And so it came to pass that on the days when I worked the morning shift, I would raise our flag to half-staff. BTW, what is the protocol for flying flags other than that of the U.S. (say, those of the state) when Old Glory is to be flown at half-staff? IOW, should I have lowered the flags of MO, AR, KS & OK, too? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/half-staff-flag/37258/13 "2000-10-18T13:40:42Z")
labradorian, wouldn’t it be a joint decision of the Speaker of the Commons and the President of the Senate? I would have thought both would have a say, since the flag flies over Parliament as a whole?