Flags @ Half Staff

[Robin Hickman]

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THIS "One-Hit-Wonder" thread was started four months ago by TCLP.org (Traverse City Light & Power | Public Power for Traverse City, Michigan), and they haven't been back since! NOT even to read the reply I posted the same day (1/15/2011) !!!

So what started out as a question about half-staff "notification" has somehow "morphed" into questions about "where" half-staff IS on a flagpole, what is the difference (if any) between "half-STAFF" and "half-MAST", and what is the "correct" terminology to use.


"Half-STAFF" or "Half-MAST"??? How about "HALF-POLE", instead ???

While they (staff & mast) may be interchangeable (or NOT), almost all Flags are flown from POLES, not staffs or masts. So..... Why not "HALF-POLE", eh???

Currently, I go with the "half-staff" term on land and "half-mast" term on a ship or boat (with a mast). I served in the U.S. Navy and if memory serves me correctly, I seem to remember that when our ship was in port we flew our Flag from the stern POST and not the mast as we did when the ship (USS ORLECK DD-886!) was underway.


WHERE is HALF-staff/mast/pole?

I think it is pretty much where the "Flag Code" and almost ALL American English dictionaries describe it to be : approximately HALFWAY between the top and bottom of a flagpole/staff/mast. I say "approximately" because I'm never sure if "they" mean the "top", "bottom", or "middle" of the Flag should be "halfway".


I think that "halfway" usually IS appropriate, although NOT always possible or recommended. Sometimes there are obstructions of some kind at the pole's halfway point such as trees, utility poles & wires, buildings, etc.

Sometimes Flags are mounted directly to pole and can't be raised or lowered, such as with most house flag "kits". In that case you can affix a black "mourning" ribbon or pole to the top of the pole/staff/mast.

Or maybe, if you're like me, you have a 3'x5' Flag attached (with screws) to a wood 8' pole. While you can detach the Flag from the top of the pole and re-attach it lower down, it is NOT appropriate to re-attach it at the "true" halfway point on the pole because the fly end of the Flag would be dragging on the ground! I "half-staff" the Flag by lowering it about one foot from the top. That way I can pay my respects while keeping the Flag aloft and allowing it to fly free.

Like I've done today for "Peace Officers' Memorial Day".

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/forum/peace-officers-memorial-day-2011-flags-9789.html#post32091





SEE ???



As for a "half-staffed" Flag on a tall pole looking "odd", I think it looks even MORE dramatic and makes a stronger statement. Assuming that the Flag is correctly "sized" to its pole.



Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[NAVA1974]

. "Half-STAFF" or "Half-MAST"??? How about "HALF-POLE", instead ???

I am a half-Pole.

My Dad's family was from Russia (Artimovich) and my Mother's family was from Poland (Blezinsky.)

However, when I see the large government flags that measure 10 by 19 feet flying half way down the huge flagpoles they have in D.C., they appear to be much too low.

How would this work for a defined location for a correctly sized flag? The lowest point of the fly should be at the exact middle of the pole? For one of these government flags I am talking about, which are on poles that appear to be 80 feet tall, the top of the flag would be at the 61-foot elevation (since the diagonal of a 10x19 flag is 21 feet.)

That would not work at all for poles with oversized flags - you may need to center the flag's diagonal measurement at the middle of the pole.

Nick A
Columbia MD

[jwa4871]

I have always wished I had a way to fly my flag at half-mast on appropriate days. However since my 3 foot flag is mounted on a 6 foot pole on the front of the house, there was no effective way to display it that way.

I have figured out a way to do it, by using an extendable six foot drapery rod.

The flag is mounted on the larger diameter portion of the rod, and the finial is mounted on the inner,smaller diameter, portion. When in its retracted position, the installation looks like the typical six foot mounting on the side of a building.

To convert to half mast, the inner portion is simply extended, making the flag look like it is at half mast.

Looks good.

[Peter Ansoff]

Greetings, jwa4871,

Very innovative -- I like it! If you can't lower the flag, raise the pole!

Peter Ansoff

[Robin Hickman]

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Hello, jwa4871 !


Could you post some pictures here so we can all see what it actually looks like ???


Thank you !!!



Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[jwa4871]

I have some pictures, but don't know how to send them to this forum. I can attach them to emails, but I need your email address.
jwa4871@cox.net

[Robin Hickman]

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Hello, JWA4871 !

Here is a link to a tutorial I put together for someone else. It worked for her (and others) so it should work for you too.

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/forum/45-star-flag-1902-a-846-2.html


Also, one of our members also put a DYI for including pictures in your post. It is short and to the point. It is called, "How to include a photo in your posts".

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/forum/how-to-include-photo-your-posts-2821.html


I have also found that if a picture is posted somewhere else and it is smaller than the maximum size allowed on here, that I can usually (but not always) "Copy/Paste" it into my post.


I hope that helps you!



Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[Peter Ansoff]

Here are JWA4871's photos:

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100_0125.JPG