American flags will fly at half-staff during the month of December to honor the memory of former President George H.W. Bush, who passed away Friday night in Texas. President Donald Trump signed the proclamation Saturday morning to have the flags flown at half-staff for 30 days.
From presidential deaths to school shootings, the president can order the flags to half-staff during a time of mourning or tragedy. The order is directed at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels and throughout the United States' possessions or territories. State governments and municipalities often follow the direction, as well.
To properly position the flag at half-staff, the flag must first be run to the top of the staff, and then gently lowered to the half-staff position.
Naval ships at sea refer to it as half-mast, since the flag flies from a mast.
There hasn't always been a protocol for flag-flying regulations in times of mourning. It wasn't until March 1, 1954, that President Dwight Eisenhower issued proper times to fly the flag at half-staff.
The flag is to fly half-staff for 30 days for the death of a former or current U.S. President.
The flag is to fly at half-staff for 10 days should there be the death of a sitting vice president, chief justice or retired chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, or Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The flag is to fly at half-staff from the time of death until internment for the following: associate justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former vice president, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate, the majority leader of the House of Representatives or the minority leader of the House.
The flag flies at half-staff on the day and day after the death of a United States senator, representative, territorial delegate or the resident commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Should the governor of a state, territory or possession pass away, the flag should fly at half-staff at all federal facilities in that state or jurisdiction.
The president can also order the flag at half-staff for the death of any other dignitaries or former officials, or even someone who played a prominent role in American history. The president can also have the flag lowered for the nation to mourn the loss of Americans in a tragedy.
In addition to the lowering of flags for Bush, other recent flag lowerings include:
Oct. 27-31, 2018
To honor the victims of the violence carried out at The Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania.
Sept. 11, 2018 (Sunrise to Sunset)
Flags are lowered every year on Patriot Day
Aug. 27, 2018 - Sept. 2, 2018
Honoring Sen. John McCain upon his death
July 3, 2018
To honor those affected by the shooting at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland.
May 28, 2018 (Sunrise - noon)
On Memorial Day, the flag is flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon, then it is to briskly rise to the top until sunset
Here is a list of flag-lowering proclamations since the beginning of 2011.
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