Hanging flag from my pickup truck for 9/11 10th anniversary.

[marcdawg86]

Hey everyone, I am looking to hang an American Flag from the back of my pick up truck for the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. I was going to fly it for the week of Sept. 11th. And want to do it in a way that is respectable to Old Glory and those of us whos lives were changed forever that day. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[NAVA1974]

I am looking to hang an American Flag from the back of my pick up truck ... in a way that is respectable to Old Glory... Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

The United States Flag Code has only one reference for flying the flag from a vehicle:

"(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 motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender. "

The pictures that accompany the original flag code show a small flag on a staff which is attached to the right FRONT of the car. Nowadays the only ones you see with the flag in that position is the President and high ranking military officers. You could certainly mount a small flag like that on the front corner of your truck, but I assume you are looking to fly something larger, and a big flag would obscure your view of the road.

I Suggest you mount a base for a flagpole in the middle of your truck bed and fly the flag from that. The pole should only be a foot or so taller than the cab of your truck or you might have problems in parking garages, etc. If you can't attach anything to the bed of the truck without damaging it, then attach the pole (upright) to the right rear corner of the truck bed.

Nick A
Columbia Maryland

[marcdawg86]

Alright Thanks!!

[Robin Hickman]

...
Hello, MarcDawg86! Welcome to the USA-Flag-SITE Forums!


Most, but not all, pick up trucks large and small have "stake pockets". The stake pockets are holes along the top edges (rails) of the sides of the pickup's bed. The stake pockes are usually (but not always) approximately 2"x2" or 2"x3" in size and extend for some distance down into the bed's sidewalls. Smaller pickup truck have a 4 stake pockets (one at each corner of the pickup's bed), and larger trucks will have 6 stake pockets, including one on each rail halfway between the front and rear corner pockets.

You can fashion flagpoles from lengths of 1.25" or 1.50" diameter "closet rod" (AKA: "full round moulding"). You could also use PVC or metal pipe (or conduit) as a flagpole. While you should always consider safety first with regards to the heighth of the pole(s), you'll need to consider that if the pole(s) is too short, the Flag(s) will drag on the sides of the pickup's bed and maybe even into the pickup bed itself when the truck is at a full stop!

Good Luck and be sure to take some photos of your truck and come back here to post a few of them !!!


Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
...

[marcdawg86]

Thanks Robin, unfortunately my truck has bed rails that are secured in the stake pockets. any other suggestions maybe??? So just so I know the flag touching my truck at a stop is just as bad as it hitting the ground?