Today is Memorial Day

Today is a day for honoring the men and women who have given their lives in service to their country.  As such, Memorial Day carries special rules for flying the American Flag.

According to the U.S. code, on Memorial Day the flag should be flown at half-staff, but only from sunrise until noon – after that it should be “raised briskly” to full staff until sunset.

There are only five days on the calendar that call for the flag to be flown at half-staff:

Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15)

Memorial Day (last Monday in May)

Korean War Veterans Armistice Day (July 27)

Patriot Day (September 11)

Pearl Harbor Day (December 7)

Flags are also flown at half staff on order of the President or Governor to honor the death of prominent figures, or a tragedy like the recent Texas shooting.