July 27, 2010
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today ordered United States flags throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters lowered for one day Thursday, July 29, 2010, in honor of Marine Corporal Paul J. Miller of Traverse City who died July 19 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Flags should be returned to full-staff Friday, July 30.
Cpl. Miller, age 22, died from injuries suffered while supporting combat operations. He was assigned to the 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California.
Cpl. Miller's family has requested that flags be lowered on Thursday, July 29, the day of his funeral service at Lake Ann United Methodist Church, Lake Ann, Michigan. Burial will follow in Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens, Traverse City.
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/govin the section titled "Spotlight."
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