My grandfather passed away recently and, long story short, I now have the flag my great uncle was buried with during WW2. It is still in the triangle fold. Would it be OK to unfold it and hang it? It wouldn’t be outside, just on the wall. Is this honoring or dishonoring his memory? I understand it needs to hung a certain way, which I would do. I just need to know if hanging it at all is OK per military regulations/traditions.
According to this:
I found nothing saying you can’t fly it, but the material seems unsutable for outdoor display.
This seems to be more of an IMHO thing but I personally don’t think it would dishonor the flaf or your uncle’s memory.
An authoritative answer depends on who you consider an authority on the subject. I once got into an argument with a friend because he insisted I was desicrating a flag by hanging it on my cubicle wall with push pins. The good patriots at the American Legion take flag protocol seriously and they answered my question and assured me that it was fine to hang my flag with push pins. The website seems down now but you can contact them for your question.
Thanks for the info, I definitely was not planning on hanging it outside, and would probably need something sturdier than push pins (not that there is anything wrong with push pins).
I guess the real question is, is it OK to unfurl once it is in the triangle?
Hopefully the legion can hook me up…once their site works.
There is nothing wrong with using a flag - any flag - as it is supposed to be used.
Keep in mind, though…put that special flag in sun (even indoors) or wind or rain or anything but a protected environment and the colors will fade, the edges fray, and the points at which you hang it become larger and larger holes. Eventually you will have to play like a protester and burn it.
I strongly recommend you purchase a shadow box with UV-resistant glass, preserving the piece of fabric which represents a part of your grandfather’s life.
Oh, and I should add…
That characteristic “football” into which a flag is folded post-funeral is no different from the way it is folded at Taps on any military base or embassy. It’s just a way to store it.
Thanks chique, I think that answers it, the legion site is still down, so I think I am going to unfurl it and hang it away from direct sunlight.
I disagree with your decision but defend your right to do whatever the hell you want. 
I work in a museum, and this is sound advice. Even if the flag isn’t exposed directly to sunlight, * any * light can fade textiles over time, depending on the cloth and the types of dyes that were used.
Also, if you take it out of the case, you run the risk of exposing it to insect damage, enivronmental pollutants (does anyone in your home smoke? The “off-gassing” of your home’s paints and upholstery fabrics can do damage over time, and so can plain old oxygen) accidental tears and staining. If your home’s temperature and humidity levels fluctuate, the fabric can degrade over time.
These kinds of changes are very gradual. If you didn’t protect it properly, you might see little damage accrue in your life time. However, if you plan to pass it down through your family, you want to try to preserve it as much as possible. Unfortunately, I’ve seen many of these types of family heirlooms literally disintigrate due to bad care. Quite a few times, distraught family members have brought us a piece, hoping we’ll be able to restore it, but often all we can do is try to prevent further damage.
I strongly suggest that you at least wrap the flag in a few sheets of acid-free paper and leave it in the box. (The paper will protect it from any oils or varnishes and off-gassing.) The best way of preserving it over the long term, however, would be to unfold it, and fold a clean, white cotton sheet (beware of any soap or fabric-softner residue) around it or acid-free paper, and then roll it around a plastic tube. (Creases in fabric can eventually crumble.) Cover it with another sheet, and bind with twine. Then, place it in a closet where the humidity remains fairly constant. If need be, place mothballs in the closet, but never touching the artifact, or even its covering. Be sure to check on its condition every year or so.
Hope this helps.
Hmmm…I kind of thought that SteveSteve wanted to actually display this memento. While what Lissa said will surely preserve the flag…who can see a flag wrapped up in a closet?
I second chique’s suggestion of buying a shadowbox for the flag and displaying it in it’s folded glory. Nothing wrong with unfurling it, but then it basically becomes just another unfurled flag. As it is, it’s the flag that was folded up when your great uncle was buried. The folds are the same ones put there by your great uncle’s honor guard. The flag was presented to your great uncle’s next of kin just as it is today. Why not preserve that and still display the flag?
This gets more into IMHO, but a folded flag in a display case is much more symbolic than a flag on a wall.
The Legion will keep you honest on flag etiquette, though!
You can purchase triangular shaped display cases intended for the purpose of displaying a memorial flag. The case can be placed on a shelf or wall mounted. I recently saw one that was sold at WalMart.