April 28, 2010
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today ordered United States flags throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters lowered for one day Friday, April 30, 2010, in honor of Army Sergeant Michael K. Ingram Jr. who died in Kandahar, Afghanistan, while on active duty supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Flags should be returned to full-staff Saturday, May 1.
Sgt. Ingram, age 23, died April 17 of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. Sgt. Ingram was promoted from corporal to sergeant upon his death. He also earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart at the time of his death.
Sgt. Ingram's family has requested that flags be lowered on Friday, April 30, the day of his funeral service at the Stewart Road Christian Ministries in Monroe. Burial will take place in St. Joseph Cemetery, Monroe.
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 on Michigan waters to honor Michigan servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty. Procedures for flag lowering were detailed by Governor Granholm in Executive Order 2006-10 and included in federal law under the Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-41).
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 Website at
www.michigan.gov/gov in the section titled "Spotlight."
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