May 28, 2004
May 28, 2004
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today ordered that United States flags throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters be lowered for one day, on Tuesday, June 1, 2004, in honor of Private First Class Richard Rosas of St. Louis, Michigan, who was killed while on active duty in Iraq.
Pfc. Rosas, United States Army, was attached to the 10th Mountain Division. He was killed on Tuesday, May 25, when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy as he and fellow soldiers patrolled the streets of Fallujah. Pfc. Rosas was 21 years old.
Pfc. Rosas grew up in Lansing and moved to St. Louis while in middle school. He enlisted in the Army in 2002, a year after graduating from high school. He was scheduled to return home on August 13th.
Under Section 7 of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code, 4 USC 7, Governor Granholm, in December, issued a proclamation requiring United States flags lowered to half-staff throughout the state of Michigan and half-mast on Michigan waters to honor Michigan servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty.
When flown at half-staff or half-mast, the United States flag should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff or half-mast position. The flag should again be raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.
When a member of the armed services from Michigan is killed in action, the Governor will issue a press release with information about the individual(s) and the day that has been designated for flags to be lowered in his or her honor. The information will also be posted on Governor Granholm’s web site at www.michigan.gov/gov in the section titled ‘Spotlight’.
