US FLAGS -- HALF-STAFF ALERT: Senator Inouye --- till sunset 12/23/SUN

Posted:  21 Dec 12

1.  Purpose

• To announce the passing of Senator Daniel K Inouye, who died on 17 December
• To give a brief biography for this great American.  You will note that Senator Inouye was awarded the "Medal of Honor" for his WWII service.  The breathtaking story of his heroism (military and otherwise) is included in the Wikipedia article referred to, below
• To clarify the rules for displaying the National Ensign at half-staff for a President, pro tempore of the Senate (from time of his death till sunset on the date of his interment on Sunday, 23 December).
• To provide additional clarification of flag laws and customs (bottom of this article)

Rest in peace, Senator Inouye, and thank you...

2.  Biographical excerpt from this Wikipedia article:

Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye (pronounced /ɨˈnoʊweɪ/;[2] September 7, 1924 – December 17, 2012) was a Medal of Honor recipient and a United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate from 2010 until his death in 2012,[3] making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in U.S. history.[4] Inouye was the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations.

A senator since 1963:

• Inouye was the most senior senator at the time of his death. He was also the second-longest serving U.S. Senator in history after Robert Byrd. 
• Inouye continuously represented Hawaii in the U.S. Congress since it achieved statehood in 1959 until the time of his death, serving as Hawaii's first U.S. Representative and later a senator. 
• Inouye was the first Japanese American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and later the first in the U.S. Senate. 
• Before then, he served in the Hawaii territorial house from 1954 to 1958 and the territorial senate from 1958 to 1959. 
• He never lost an election in 58 years as an elected official. 
• At the time of his death, Inouye was the second-oldest current U.S. senator, after Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey.

Because of his seniority, following Senator Byrd's death on June 28, 2010, Inouye became President pro tempore of the Senate; this made him third in the presidential line of succession after the Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

3.  The flag should fly at half-staff: (for our highest public officials)

• for 30 days at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and its territories and possessions after the death of the president or a former president. 
• It is to fly 10 days at half-staff after the death of the vice president, the chief justice or a retired chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, or the speaker of the House of Representatives. 
• For an 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 of Representatives the flag is to be displayed at half-staff from the day of death until interment.

4.  Half-Staff Alert

Half-Staff Alert In This Issue Stars for our Troops Official Proclamation Half Staff How-To Quick Links Gettysburg Flag Works Home Page American Flags Flag Poles This Week's Sale Clearance Items Your old flag can touch the lives of 50 American Soldiers or Veterans! Learn more... Gettysburg Flag Works  715 Columbia Turnpike  East Greenbush, NY 12061  1-888-697-3524  www.gettysburgflag.com Date: 12/18/12 through 12/23/12 Reach: Throughout the USA --------------Update-------------- It has been announced that Senator Inouye will be interred on Sunday 12/23 and therefor flags should continue to fly at half staff until sunset that date. --------------Proclamation-------------- Presidential Proclamation -- Death of Senator Daniel K. Inouye, President pro tempore of the Senate DEATH OF SENATOR DANIEL K. INOUYE, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION As a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding service of Senator Daniel K. Inouye, President pro tempore of the Senate, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and consistent with President Nixon's Proclamation 3948, that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon 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 further 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 thiseighteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh. BARACK OBAMA How to fly your flag at Half Staff What sort of flag pole are you using? When raising the flag to half staff on a vertical pole, always raise it briskly to the top of the flagpole for a moment before lowering it. When taking it down for the night, raise it to the top of the flagpole again & lower it to the bottom. With a telescoping flag pole it is acceptable to put the USA flag on the second set of rings instead of the top set. In this case the top set would be left empty. When the United States flag is flown at half-staff, State & other flags should be removed or flown at half-staff too. For flags that can't be lowered, such as those on many homes, the American Legion says that attaching a black ribbon or streamer to the top of the flag is an acceptable alternative. The ribbon should be the same width as a stripe on the flag and the same length as the flag.

Remind a friend Gettysburg Flag Works | 715 Columbia Turnpike | East Greenbush | NY | 12061

5.  More on Flag Laws & Customs

 Can I fly my flag at home 24 hours a day? (source)

Yes, provided it is "properly illuminated."

Section 6a: "It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness."

The Flag Code offers no additional guidance on what "properly illuminated" means. We interpret it to mean that there should be either a light directly upon the flag or that there be sufficient local lighting to make the flag visible at night.

If you cannot "properly illuminate" your flag, we recommend that you retire it at sunset, as the Flag Rules specify.

The American Legion defines proper illumination as a "light specifically placed to illuminate the flag (preferred) or having a light source sufficient to illuminate the flag so it is recognizable as such by the casual observer."

The American Flag Foundation, Inc -- FAQ's