SEC. 1. That the following codification of existing
rules and customs pertaining to the display and use of
the flag of the United States of America be, and is
hereby, established for the use of such civilians or
civilian groups or organizations as may not be required
to conform with regulations promulgated by one or more
executive departments of the Government of the United
States. The flag of the United States for the purpose of
this chapter shall be defined according to title 4,
United States Code, Chapter I, section I and section 2
and Executive Order 10834 issued pursuant thereto.
SEC. 2
(a) It is the universal custom to display the flag
only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on
stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a
patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed
twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during
the hours of darkness.
(b) The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered
ceremoniously.
(c) The flag should not be displayed on days when the
weather is inclement, except when an all weather flag is
displayed.
(d) The flag should be displayed on all days,
especially on New Year's Day, January 1; Inauguration
Day, January 20; Lincoln's Birthday, February- 12;
Washington's Birthday, third Monday in February; Easter
Sunday (variable); Mother's Day, second Sunday in May;
Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May; Memorial Day
(half-staff until noon), the last Monday in May; Flag
Day, June 14; Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, first
Monday in September; Constitution Day, September 17;
Columbus Day, second Monday in October; Navy Day,
October 27; Veterans Day, November 11; Thanksgiving Day,
fourth Thursday in November; Christmas Day, December 25;
and such other days as may be proclaimed by the
President of the United States; The birthdays of States
(date of admission); and on State holidays.
(e) The flag should be displayed daily on or near the
main administration building of every public
institution.
(f) The flag should be displayed in or near every
polling place on election days.
(g) The flag should be displayed during school days
in or near every schoolhouse.
SEC. 3. That the flag, when carried in a procession
with another flag or flags, should be either on the
marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if
there is a line of other flags, in front of the center
of that line.
(a) The flag should not be displayed on a float in a
parade except from a staff, or as provided in subsection
(j).
(b) The flag should not be draped over the hood, top,
sides, or back of a vehicle or of a railroad train or a
boat. When the flag is displayed on a motor car, the
staff should be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped
to the right fender.
(c) No other flag or pennant should be placed above
or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of
the United States of America, except during church
services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the
church pennant may be flown above the flag during church
services for the personnel of the Navy. (See Public Law
107, page 4)
(d) The flag of the United States of America, when it
is displayed with another flag against a wall from
crossed staffs, should be on the right, the flag's own
right, and its staff should be in front of the staff of
the other flag.
(e) The flag of the United States of America should
be at the center and at the highest point of the group
when a number of flags of States or localities or
pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from
staffs.
(f) When flags of states, cities, or localities, or
pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with
the flag of the United States, the latter should always
be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent
staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted
first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be
placed above the flag of the United States or to the
United States Flag's right.
(g) When flags of two or more nations are displayed,
they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same
height. The flags should be of approximately equal size.
International usage forbids the display of the flag of
one nation above that of another nation in time of
peace.
(h) When the flag of the United States is displayed
from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from
the window sill, balcony, or front of a building, the
union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the
staff unless the flag is at half staff. When the flag is
suspended over a sidewalk from a rope extending from a
house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag
should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.
(i) When displayed either horizontally or vertically
against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the
flag's own right, that is, to the observer's left. When
displayed in a window, the flag should be displayed in
the same way, with the union or blue field to the left
of the observer in the street.
(j) When the flag is displayed over the middle of the
street, it should be suspended vertically with the union
to the north in an east and west street or to the east
in a north and south street.
(k) When used on a speaker's platform, the flag, if
displayed flat, should be displayed above and behind the
speaker. When displayed from a staff in a church or
public auditorium, the flag of the United States of
America should hold the position of superior prominence,
in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor
at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the
audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed
on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right
of the audience.
(l) The flag should form a distinctive feature of the
ceremony of unveiling a statue or monument, but it
should never be used as the covering for the statue or
monument.
(m) The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for
an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position.
The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is
lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be
displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to
the top of the staff. By order of the President, the
flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of
principal figures of the United States Government and
the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a
mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the
death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the
flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to
Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance
with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent
with law. In the event of the death of a present or
former official of the government of any State,
territory, or possession of the United States, the
Governor of that State, territory, or possession may
proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at
half-staff. The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty
days from the death of the President or a former
President; ten days from the day of death of the Vice
President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice
of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of
Representatives; from the day of death until interment
of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a
Secretary of an executive or military department, a
former Vice President, or the Governor of a State,
territory, or possession; and on the day of death and
the following day for a Member of Congress. As used in
this subsection:
(1) the term 'half-staff' means the position
of the flag when it is one-half the distance
between the top and bottom of the staff;
(2) the term 'executive or military
department' means any agency listed under
sections 101 and 102 of title 5, United States
Code; and
(3) the term Member of Congress' means a
Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the
Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
(n) When the flag is used to cover a casket, it
should be so placed that the union is at the head
and over the left shoulder. The flag should not be
lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the
ground.
(o) When the flag is suspended across a corridor
or lobby in a building with only one main entrance,
it should be suspended vertically with the union of
the flag to the observer's left upon entering. If
the building has more than one main entrance, the
flag should be suspended vertically near the center
of the corridor or lobby with the union to the
north, when entrances are to the east and west or to
the east when entrances are to the north and south.
If there are entrances in more than two directions,
the union should be to the east.
SEC. 4. That no disrespect should be shown to the
flag the United States of America; the flag should
not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental
colors, State flags, and organization or
institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of
honor.
(a) The flag should never be displayed with the
union down, except as a signal of dire distress in
instances of extreme danger to life or property.
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath
it, such as the ground, the floor, water,
(c) The flag should never be carried flat or
horizontally, but always aloft and free.
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing
apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be
festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always
allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and
red, always arranged with the blue above, the white
in the middle, and the red below, should be used for
covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the
platform, and for decoration in general.
(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed,
used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to
be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
(f) The flag should never be used as a covering
for a ceiling.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it,
nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark,
insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or
drawing of any nature.
(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle
for receiving, holding, carrying or delivering
anything.
(i) The flag should never be used for advertising
purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be
embroidered on such articles as cushions or
handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise
impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that
is designed for temporary use and discard.
Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff
or halyard from which the flag is flown.
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a
costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch
may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel,
firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic
organizations. The flag represents a living country
and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore,
the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn
on the left lapel near the heart.
(k) The Flag, when it is in such condition that
it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should
be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by
burning.
SEC. 5. During the ceremony of hoisting or
lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a
parade or in review, all persons present except
those in uniform should face the flag and stand at
attention with the right hand over the heart. Those
present in uniform should render the military
salute. When not in uniform, men should remove their
headdress with their right hand and hold it at the
left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Aliens
should stand at attention. The salute to the flag in
a moving column should be rendered at the moment the
flag passes.
SEC. 6. During rendition of the national anthem
when the flag is displayed, all present except those
in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag
with the right hand over the heart. Men not in
uniform should remove their headdress with their
right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the
hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should
render the military salute at the first note of the
anthem and retain this position until the last note.
When the flag is not displayed, those present should
face toward the music and act in the same manner
they would if the flag were displayed there.
SEC. 7. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, "I
pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States
of America, and to the Republic for which it stands,
one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all", should be rendered by standing at
attention facing the flag with the right hand over
the heart. When not in uniform men should remove
their headdress with their right hand and hold it at
the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.
Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the
flag and render the military salute.
SEC. 8. Any rule or custom pertaining to the
display of the flag of the United States of America,
set forth herein, may be altered, modified, or
repealed, or additional rules with respect thereto
may be prescribed, by the Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the United States, whenever he deems
it to be appropriate or desirable; and any such
alteration or additional rule shall be set forth in
proclamation.
Note:
"Half-staff" is further amplified per MCO P10520.3_,
Marine Corps Flag Manual as "The middle point of the
hoist of the flag at half-mast should, in the cases of
an unguyed mast of one piece, be halfway between the
peak and foot of the mast or, in the case of a mast with
a yard or guys, halfway between the peak and the yard or
point of attachment of the guys. Local conditions, such
as the liability of fouling the flag may, however,
dictate other positions, a graceful one being with the
top of the flag the depth of the hoist below the peak."
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