http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html#1

<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. >

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"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/...5/04/20050402-3.html



President Bush Orders Flags Flown at Half Staff in Honor of Pope John Paul II
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America







As a mark of respect for His Holiness Pope John Paul II, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on the day of his interment. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half staff for the same period at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty ninth.

GEORGE W. BUSH

It depends.

Here are some general guidelines:

Upon the death of great individuals or current or former government officials, the President of the United States can direct that the flag be flown from the half-staff position "as a mark of respect to their  memory." The flag is flown at half staff according to the following:

30 Days from the death of the President or a former President

10 Days from the day of death of:
The Vice President
A sitting or former Supreme Court Chief Justice
The Speaker of the House of Representatives

From the day of death to the day of Internment of:
An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
The Secretary of an Executive or Military Department
A Former Vice President
The Governor of a State, territory, or possession of the United States
On the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress

Whenever a present or former official of State Government dies, the Governor of that State can direct that the United States Flag be flown at half-staff in respect to their memory

Also, it's flown at half staff on some holidays, like Memorial Day (until noon), and , obviously, the President could call for the flag to be flown at half staff for non-governmental persons like the Pope.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

One other thing that I have seen people do wrong--

When displaying the flag at half-staff, it is first raised (briskly) to full-staff and then ceremoniously (slowly) lowered to half-staff. When retiring the flag for the night, the opposite procedure (raise then lower) is followed. A lot of people just raise it half-way and then lower it from there at night.

Is this flag at half mast????

So I saw the flag flown at what looked like "3/4 mast" - is there such a thing, or was an artifact of a windy day?

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