Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff from sunrise until noon Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day.
“America is the home of the free because of the brave, and we have so much to give thanks for this Memorial Day as we honor the heroes who sacrificed for our freedom and our country,” Beshear said in a statement. “To honor them and their families, let us commit to a more perfect union by finding common ground and moving our country forward for everyone. God Bless America.”
The governor encourages all individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies to join in this tribute.
Memorial Day is the one day when the U.S. Flag Code states that flags should be flown at half-staff only in the morning. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “On Memorial Day the flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of the nation’s battle heroes.”
Stated another way, on Memorial Day the flag is flown at half-staff during the morning to honor the nation’s dead, then is raised as a “symbol of illumination” that the nation lives as well as to honor those veterans and servicemen and servicewomen who are still with us.
The governor’s office also provides the following information concerning flags:
Flag Protocol
It is proper flag protocol to raise the flag at sunrise each morning and lower it at sunset each evening. However, the flag may be displayed at night, if properly illuminated. The flag shall be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.
The flag, when flown at half-staff, should first be 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.
When to lower the flag to half-staff
By order of the President, the U.S. flag should be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States government and the governor of any state as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of a present or former official of state government, the governor of that state may proclaim that the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff.
The U.S. Flag Code authorizes a governor to lower the U.S. flag to half-staff upon the death of a member of the Armed Forces from that state who dies while serving on active duty.
Additionally, the governor may lower the flag to half-staff in the event of the death of a first responder who dies while serving in the line of duty.
The flag is always lowered to half-staff on the following days:
- National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service – usually the first Sunday in May
- Peace Officers Memorial Day: May 15 – half-staff from sunrise to sunset; except when Peace Officers Memorial Day falls on Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May)
- Memorial Day: Last Monday in May – the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon
- Patriot Day: September 11 – half-staff from sunrise to sunset
- National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: December 7 – half-staff from sunrise to sunset
The Flag Code serves as a guide to be followed on a purely voluntary basis to insure proper respect for the flag. The Flag Code has no provision for enforcement – that is, there are no fines or penalties – and the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that politically motivated violations of the Flag Code are protected by the First Amendment.
