Things to remember when flying Old Glory
Summer is a time for being outdoors. It’s a time for family and friends and a time for celebration and remembrance. One of the significant summer holidays is Independence Day and with that many Americans proudly display the Stars and Stripes. But how and when to fly Old Glory is often met with some confusion.
PN has assembled some easy to remember dates when our flag should be displayed as well as some basic rules to remember.
Display the American flag daily, especially on holidays:
Martin Luther King’s Birthday (third Monday in January)
Inauguration Day
Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May)
Memorial Day (last Monday in May; half staff until noon)
Flag Day (June 14)
Independence Day (July 4)
Labor Day (first Monday in September)
Constitution Day (September 17)
Columbus Day (second Monday in October)
Veterans Day (November 11)
Birthdays of states (dates of admission)
State Holidays
All Election Days
• Never allow the flag to touch the ground or any other object while on display.
• Salute the flag as it is hoisted and lowered, during the playing of the National Anthem, and while saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Stand at attention with your right hand over your heart and your hat removed.
• Display the flag outdoors only between sunrise and sunset unless a spotlight illuminates it.
• When displaying the flag indoors, always position it to the right of a speaker or staging area.
• Raise the flag quickly; lower it ceremoniously.
• To place a flag at half-staff, hoist it to the peak for an instant before lowering it to a halfway position.
• Never use the flag as a covering or a drape for a ceiling.
• Never place anything on the U.S. flag.
• When the flag is in such a condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning, in an appropriate ceremony by an appropriate organization.
