June 03, 2004
June 3, 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 Friday, June 4, 2004, in honor of Sgt. Aaron Elandt of Port Hope, Michigan, who was killed while on active duty in Iraq.
Sgt. Elandt, United States Army, was a cavalry scout with the First Armored Division. He was killed on Sunday, May 30, when the Humvee he was driving struck a land mine in Musayyib, Iraq, south of Baghdad. Sgt. Elandt was 23 years old.
Sgt. Elandt joined the military after graduating from Harbor Beach High School in 1999. He had been in Iraq for about 14 months.
Under Section 7 of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code, 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’.
