# Site that tells why flags are at half-staff?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/site-that-tells-why-flags-are-at-half-staff/130472>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 2, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/site-that-tells-why-flags-are-at-half-staff/130472 "2002-10-02T01:17:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/site-that-tells-why-flags-are-at-half-staff/130472/1 "2002-10-02T01:17:09Z")

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On my way to school this afternoon, I passed Union Station (in Washington, DC) and noticed that the flags were at half-staff. This was both the station and the surrounding Federal buildings. When I got to school, I asked around and not only did few people notice, but no one had a definite answer. Perhaps because [Walter Annenberg](http://www.forbes.com/2002/10/01/1001annenberg.html), a former ambassador to Britain, died?

Though I am curious about today, the GQ I am posting is a bit more general. Is there a site that posts the reasons and durations of half-staff orders? I can sometimes find individual press releases, but I am looking for somewhere I can check whenever I see them down and don’t offhand know why. Thanks.

Rhythmdvl

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/site-that-tells-why-flags-are-at-half-staff/130472/2 "2002-10-02T01:35:44Z")

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IIRC, a member of the US Congress just passed away.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2002, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/site-that-tells-why-flags-are-at-half-staff/130472/3 "2002-10-02T06:51:40Z")

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Flag Etiquette - [36 USC 10](http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/36/chapters/10/toc.html)

Also see [US Flag.org](http://www.usflag.org/)