December 20, 2005
December 20, 2005
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 Thursday, December 22, 2005, in honor of Marine Corporal David W. Smith of Garden City who died December 11 during a training accident in Mount Fuji, Japan. Flags should return to full-staff Friday, December 23.
Corporal Smith, 20, was to return to Iraq for his second tour of duty on January 13, 2006. He was assigned to the 3rd Transportation Battalion, 3rd Full Service Support Group out of Okinawa, Japan.
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 to be lowered to half-staff throughout the state of Michigan and 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.’
