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Fly Your Flag Correctly
Honor those who have served and are serving
your Country, and honor those who have sacrificed their lives for America
and Americans, and FREEDOM!
The flag we fly today has 50 stars representing the 50 states on a field of
blue with 13 stripes representing the thirteen original states alternating
red and white from top to bottom. Notice that each of the stars points to
the top of the flag. On the "Star Spangled Banner" which was flown over the
fort at the end of the Battle of Baltimore the stars were tilted slightly to
the left and right. Another difference to note between the two flags is that
on the 15 star flag the stripe just under the blue field is red, whereas on
the 50 star flag the stripe just under the blue field is white.
The Pledge of
Allegiance
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the
Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all." |
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Important Do's
It is the universal custom to display the national flag only from sunrise to
sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open,
The U.S. Code states that:
"It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset
on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open, but it should not be
displayed on days when the weather is inclement. When a patriotic effect is
desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly
illuminated during the hours of darkness."
Display the U S. flag on all days that weather permits but especially on
national and state holidays and other days that may be proclaimed by the
President of the United States. On Memorial Day, the U. S. flag should be
half-staffed until noon. Always hoist the U. S. flag briskly. Lower it
ceremoniously.
Important Don'ts
Never in any way
should any disrespect be shown the U. S. flag.
The U. S. flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental
colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are dipped as a
mark of honor.
The U. S. flag should never be displayed with the union (STARS) down except
as a signal of dire distress.
The U. S. flag should never touch anything beneath it-ground, floor, water
or merchandise.
The U. S. flag should never be carried horizontally, but always aloft and
free. Always allow the U, S. flag to fall free- never use the U. S. flag as
drapery, festooned, drawn back, or up in folds. For draping platforms and
decoration or general, use blue, white and red bunting. Always arrange the
bunting with blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below.
The U. S. flag should never be fastened, displayed, used or stored in a
manner which will permit it m be easily torn, soiled or damaged in any way.
Never use the U. S. flag as a covering or drape for a ceiling.
Never place anything on the U. S. flag. The U. S. flag should never have
placed upon it, or on any part of it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia,
letter, word, figure, design, picture or drawing of any nature.
Never use the U. S. flag for receiving, holding, carrying or delivering
anything. The U. S. flag should not be embroidered on such articles as
cushions, handkerchiefs, and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on
paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and
discard; or used as any portion of a costume or athletic uniform.
Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which
the flag is flown. When the U. S. flag is in such condition that it is no
longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified
way, preferably by burning, privately.
The U. S. flag, when carried in a procession with another or other flags,
should be either on the marching right (the flag's own right) or, if there
is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line. Never display
the U. S. flag from a float except from a staff, or so suspended that its
folds fall free as though staffed.
The U. S. flag, when displayed with another flag against a wall from crossed
staffs, should be on the U. S. flag's own right, and its staff should be in
front of the staff of the other flag.
The U. S. flag should be at the center and at the highest point of the group
when a number of flags of States or localities or pennants of societies are
grouped and displayed from staffs.
When other flags are flown from the same halyard, the U. S. flag should
always be at the peak. When other flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the
U. S. flag should be hoisted first and lowered last. No flag may fly above
or to the right of the U. S. flag (except flags of other nations).
When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from
separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately
equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one
nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
When the U. S. flag is displayed from a staff projecting from a building,
the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless the
flag is at half staff When suspended from a rope extending from the building
to a pole, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.
When the U. S. flag is displayed other than from a staff, it should be
displayed flat, or so suspended that its folds fall free. When displayed
over a street, place the union so it faces north or east, depending upon the
direction of the street.
In the chancel of a church or on a speaker's platform the U.S. flag is
placed to the speaker's right. Other flags are to be placed to the speaker's
left.
If displayed flat against the wall on a speaker's platform, the U. S flag
should be placed above and behind the speaker with the union of the flag in
the upper left hand corner as the audience faces the flag.
The U. S. flag should form a distinctive feature at the ceremony of
unveiling a statue or monument, but should never be used as the covering for
the statue or monument.
When the U. S. flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so placed that
the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag should not be
lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.
The flag when flown at half staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for a
moment and then lowered to the half staff position. The flag should be again
raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.
During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is
passing in parade all persons should face the flag, stand at attention and
salute. A man should remove his hat and hold it with the right hand over the
heart. Men without hats, and women salute by placing the right hand over the
heart. The salute to the flag in the moving column should be rendered at the
moment the flag passes. |
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