# Has some important Southerner died recently? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 22, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655 "2011-08-22T14:53:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/1 "2011-08-22T14:53:08Z")
Or perhaps some regional tragedy I’m overlooking? There are U.S. flags at half-mast in Virginia and North Carolina, and I haven’t been able to find out why. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/2 "2011-08-22T15:03:41Z")
We lowered the flags here recently for the anniversary of the I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Perhaps something like that? An anniversary rather than a recent thing? ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/3 "2011-08-22T15:04:51Z")
In VA, it’s a [memorial for the SEALs](http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=tmo6ucdab&v=001vumIjKLl6-9aGVOh0DvWy89eLSk8H45dHrqCgtXlXduqHgk6mobaR2gNebmauOFeam4el5HVBqTjkhzlf1gLLsnNCI8k2jnYObZYwU6PsUCaR-EyQ9AmuLLESuBWMaPcmSwR7bnZnanEPLIRsOLYJYQFclSke7z4T8LL8A-JJ1D6CYJrekDOeqxZYpCRRs1_X2PdA-y4s_zvFSkT3feaAvF6NGAQrgMU) killed in the helicopter crash. Not sure about NC. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/4 "2011-08-22T16:35:11Z")
> [@Silver\_Fire](#): > > We lowered the flags here recently for the anniversary of the I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis. > > Perhaps something like that? An anniversary rather than a recent thing? So THAT’S what that was! I’d see them all over St. Paul and think “am I missing something here?” ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/5 "2011-08-22T16:51:46Z")
I know, it drove me crazy most the day trying to figure it out until I got home and searched on Google news. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/6 "2011-08-22T16:59:01Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Or perhaps some regional tragedy I’m overlooking? There are U.S. flags at half-mast in Virginia and North Carolina, and I haven’t been able to find out why. Nitpick: A flag can be “half-mast” only on a ship, because that’s where masts are. On land, it’s “half-staff.” ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/7 "2011-08-23T05:03:44Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Nitpick: A flag can be “half-mast” only on a ship, because that’s where masts are. On land, it’s “half-staff.” [That’s what she said! Wooooo!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7_2RZ63L7w&feature=player_detailpage#t=10s) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/8 "2011-08-23T12:14:43Z")
Ah, thanks for that – I live in VA and wondered. They just closed some major roads for a 9/11 memorial motorcycle ride. I’m not sure why they’re having it now, the 10th anniversary of “3 weeks before anything happened,” but I thought maybe THAT was what the flag position commemorated. The power to order the flags lowered, like the power to commute sentences, is one of those weird but fascinating gubernatorial responsibilities. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/9 "2011-08-23T13:50:04Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Nitpick: A flag can be “half-mast” only on a ship, because that’s where masts are. On land, it’s “half-staff.” Right you are. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![neckred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5e9695/32.png) [@neckred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neckred)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/10 "2011-08-23T13:52:10Z")
All Southerners are important! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/11 "2011-08-23T13:53:16Z")
On Naval bases, flags on land are often displayed on salvaged masts. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/12 "2011-08-23T14:01:36Z")
> [@neckred](#): > > All Southerners are important! 😃 Best username/post combination here so far. ---
**Author:** ![neckred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5e9695/32.png) [@neckred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neckred)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/13 "2011-08-23T15:13:57Z")
I was actually at an Air Force museum in Beavercreek, Oh a few weeks back ant the flags on the base were at half staff. I never did find out why. I assumed it was somebody from that base (or tied to that base in a way) that is “famous”. I guess there are a lot of those that you just don’t hear about. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/14 "2011-08-23T18:18:36Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Right you are. Thanks. That’s what you get for rushing and making only a half-mast attempt. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/15 "2011-08-23T20:15:40Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > That’s what you get for rushing and making only a half-mast attempt. Don’t forget to tip your waitresses ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-some-important-southerner-died-recently/593655/16 "2011-08-23T20:26:37Z")
> [@Silver\_Fire](#): > > I know, it drove me crazy most the day trying to figure it out until I got home and searched on Google news. A couple of Minnesotans were also SEALs on the helicopter that crashed - one of their funerals was last weekend (and seemed like it was going to be rather large, from reports on MPR). It’s my guess that half-staff flags here in Minnesota were probably for both.