July 23, 2004
July 23, 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, July 27, in honor of Private First Class Nicholas "Nick" Blodgett, 21, of Wyoming, Michigan, who was killed on Wednesday, July 21, while on active duty in Iraq.
Pfc. Blodgett died in Abdalluyah, 45 miles north of Baghdad, when his patrol vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the Army’s 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, Schweinfurt, Germany.
Pfc. Blodgett graduated from Catholic Central High School in 2001 and joined the military in May 2003. He is survived by his parents, Rita A. and Robert J. Blodgett, Jr., and brother, Matthew C. Blodgett, of Wyoming.
Under Section 7 of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of the United States Code, 4 USC 7, Governor Granholm, in December 2003, 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’.
