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Why are flags half-staff today on Friday, January 24? Although there are no national half-staff proclamations from President Donald Trump, a number of states have proclamations in place from sunrise to sunset today. These are honoring people who have served their state or country and are no longer with us. Here’s a look at the people being honored this weekend by lowered flags across the country.
States Are Lowering Their Flags in Honor of Those No Longer with Us
In Texas, state and U.S. flags will be half-staff in Cameron County and surrounding counties in honor of Spc. Miguel A. Villalon on January 23 through sunset on the day of his burial on January 25, The Valley Star reported. Villalon is a native of Brownsville. Individuals, businesses, and others are encouraged to also lower their flags. Villalon and Staff Sgt. Ian Paul McLaughlin of Virginia were killed in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan while conducting operations. Villalon had just joined the Army in 2018.
The Texas and U.S. flags will also fly half staff at the state Capitol on January 25.
In Wyoming, the state and U.S. flags will fly at half-staff on January 24 from sunrise until sunset to honor Michael Wilder, 51, a Wamsutter paramedic. He died in the line of duty on January 11 when he responded to a fatal crash and experienced a cardiac arrest, Sweetwater Now reported.
A memorial service will be January 25 at 1 p.m. at the Rawlins High School Auditorium, with a reception at Michael’s Steakhouse at 2 p.m. Emergency service organizations are welcome to attend, a Facebook post read, but are asked to RSVP if participating in the procession. You can send donations to the family via Rawlins Bank of Commerce to the account name Belinda Irick.
In Hawaii, state and the U.S. flags will fly half-staff at the state Capitol and all state offices and agencies, plus with the Hawaii National Guard, from January 20 to sunset on January 24. The flags are at half-staff to honor Tiffany Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama. The two police officers were shot and killed on January 19 in the line duty.
Two GoFundMe accounts have been started for the officers’ families, Star Advertiser reported. The GoFundMe for Enriquez is here, to support her family with funeral, memorial and travel expenses. A GoFundMe for Kalama was started here.
In Virginia, U.S. and Commonwealth flags are flying half-staff on January 24 at all state and local buildings in honor of Army Staff Sergeant Ian P. McLaughlin of Newport News. McLaughlin died on January 11 after his vehicle hit an IED in Afghanistan. Pfc. Miguel Villalon was also killed, Military Times reported. McLaughlin leaves behind a wife and four children.
Flag Half-Staff Traditions
It’s customary to only display the American flag from sunrise to sunset, unless the flag is well illuminated overnight. In those cases, the flag might be displayed 24 hours a day. A number of holidays call for the U.S. flags to be lowered to half-staff every year. In addition, the President of the United States may order a proclamation for the flags to fly half-staff when someone of prominence dies or when there is a national tragedy. State governors may also call for national flags to be flown at half-staff in their state when a present or former government official passes away.
If you’re wondering about the term half-mast vs. half-staff, in the United States half-mast refers to flags being lowered on a ship, while half-staff refers to a pole on a building. However, outside the United States, the more commonly used term is actually half-mast. The terms tend to be used interchangeably in common vernacular.