June 24, 2010
June 24, 2010
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today ordered United States flags throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters lowered for one day Monday, June 28, 2010, in honor of Army Specialist Joseph D. Johnson who died along side a fellow soldier June 16 at North Kunduz, Afghanistan, while on active duty supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Flags should be returned to full-staff Tuesday, June 29.
Specialist Johnson, age 24, died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 161st Engineer Support Company, 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne), 20th Engineer Brigade, 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Brag, North Carolina.
The family of Specialist Johnson has requested that flags be lowered Monday, June 28. His funeral service is Saturday, June 26, at Central Church of the Nazarene in Flint. Burial will follow in Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly.
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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