Half mast in Alabama

[Cheryl]

I was wondering why all the flags in Alabama are at half mast?

[american_flag_uk]

Former Alabama Gov. Guy Hunt, who led from 1986 to 1993, dies at 75

Forced from office over ethics
Saturday, January 31, 2009 TOM GORDON
News staff writer

Guy Hunt, the farmer-preacher whose unexpected election as the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction helped shove Alabama toward two-party politics, died Friday.
Gov. Hunt, who was 75, died at 2:55 p.m. at Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham. Over the last five years, he had been undergoing treatment for lung cancer.
While making history with his gubernatorial victory in 1986, Gov. Hunt also made the record books in 1993 by becoming the first Alabama governor to be forced from office by a felony ethics conviction. He later received a pardon after paying restitution and made an unsuccessful bid for governor and another for the state Senate.
In a statement, Gov. Hunt's family called him a "humble servant of God and a loving husband and father" whose "greatest honor in life was to have the privilege to preach the Gospel for over 50 years."
Gov. Bob Riley, who ordered flags on state office buildings to be lowered to half-staff, called Gov. Hunt "a strong leader and a man of unwavering faith" who "helped put Alabama on the map for industry and tourism."


There you go.. Thats why the flags are at half staff

[Cheryl]

Many thanks for the information...I have friends who live in Alabama who were traveling by car yesterday and noticed the flags...they called and asked what was going on...I live in another state to the north...didn't have a clue so I happened on your site...what a wealth of information I stumbled on...wish I'd had access to all this information now so easily available when I was a scout leader! Thanks again... !

[Douglass]

I believe half mast refers to ships only. Half staff is probably the correct phrase.

thank you for your attention.
Doug

[Peter Ansoff]

Welcome, Doug!

I believe half mast refers to ships only. Half staff is probably the correct phrase.

Actually, "half mast" and "half staff" are used pretty much interchangably. It's true that Army and Air Force regulations use "half staff", while the Navy and the Marine Corps use "half mast;" however, I think that this reflects conventions of the services rather than a ship/shore distinction. For example, Navy regulations state that: "When directed by the President, the national ensign shall be flown at half-mast at military facilities and naval vessels and stations abroad." They use "half mast" to refer to both ships and shore stations.

You're right, however, that the civilian flag code uses "half staff." This is probably because the original flag code was based on Army regulations.

Peter Ansoff