Writing on Flags

[gravediggaa]

I have someone interested in haveing a Flag display at a Flag Day Ceremony in our cemetery. This display would have US Flags with the names of all those who have died in Iraqi. Is this proper etiquette.

[NAVA1974]

This display would have US Flags with the names of all those who have died in Iraqi. Is this proper etiquette.

No, it is not.

According to Title 4, the United States Flag Code:

"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."

Thus any name of any individual, regardless of the resepect they deserve, shall not be placed on the flag. There are, however, other very respectable ways to handle this. A streamer may be attached to the staff with the flag, and the streamers may bear the names of the deceased. You can add the name to a flag of some other design (plain white for example, better yet Gold to symbolize a death in the line of duty.) Each "name flag"can be crossed with a US flag.

The fact that it has been absolutely prohibited to write any name, or place any picture on the American flag is why I have built a little collection of such "overprinted" antique flags. All of them date from before World War One with one exception. You can see the antique flags at:

Overprinted flags - a set on Flickr

Nick

[NAVA1974]

Although the United States Flag Code states, "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," there are exceptions to the rule:
ObamaFlag.jpg

Nick