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Boy Scout Troop 464
(New Richmond, Wisconsin)
 
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The flag should be displayed, from sunrise to sunset, on all days when the weather permits, especially on:

New Year's Day
Inauguration Day
Martin Luther King's Birthday
Lincoln's Birthday
Washington's Birthday
Easter Sunday
Mother's Day
Armed Forces Day
Memorial Day (half-staff until noon)
Flag Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Constitution Day
Columbus Day
Navy Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
Election Days (all)
State and Local Holidays.
Federally observed dates of the above holidays which may be different from the actual dates.
Such days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States.
 

How to Properly Fold a US Flag
1. Bring the striped half up over the blue field.
2. Then fold it in half again.
3. Bring the lower striped corner to the upper edge forming a triangle.
4. Then fold the upper point in to form another triangle. Continue until the entire length of the flag is folded.
5. When you get near the end - nothing but the blue field showing - tuck the last bit into the other folds to secure it.

Displaying the Flag 

flag hanging over street1. 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.


crossed staffs2. 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 flag's right, (meaning the viewer's left) and its staff should be in front of the staff of the other flag.


flag at half mast3. 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. By "half-staff" is meant lowering the flag to one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff. Crepe streamers may be affixed to spear heads or flagstaffs in a parade only by order of the President of theUnited States.


sharing staff with otherflags4. 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 right of the flag of the United States (the viewer's left.) When the flag is half-masted, both flags are half-masted, with the US flag at the mid-point and the other flag below.

flag suspended oversidewalk 5. When the flag is suspended over a sidewalk from arope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.


flag on staff6. 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.


flag draping casket7. When the flag is used to cover a casket, it shouldbe 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.

flag other than being flownfrom staff8. When the flag is displayed in a manner other than by being flown from a staff, it should be displayed flat, whether indoors or out. 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 it should be displayed in the same way, that is with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street. When festoons, rosettes or drapings are desired, bunting of blue, white and red should be used, but never the flag.

flag carried in aprocession9. 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 centerof that line.

flags in a group of flags10. 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 fromstaffs.


US flag with foreign flags11. 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. The order of precedence for flags generally is National flags (US first, then others in alphabetical order in English), State (host state first, then others in the order of admission) and territories (Washington DC, Puerto Rico, etc.), Military (in order of establishment: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard),then other.

flag in church orauditorium12. When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium on or off a podium, 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 (to the right of the audience). Please note that the old guidelines differed from this updated and simplified one.

flag on car13. When the flag is displayed on a car, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender.

Information courtesy of ushistory.org


Flagpoles, Flag Sizes, Flag Proportions

The usual size of a flag used at home is 3' x 5'.

A casket flag is 9-1/2' x 5'. The table below shows the appropriate size flag to fly on flag poles of several heights.

Home Use

Public display (not home-use)

Flagpole Flag Flagpole Flag Flagpole Flag
15' 3'x5' 20' 4'x6' 50' 8x12'-10x15'
20' 3'x5' 25' 5'x8' 60'-65' 10'x15'-10'x19'
25' 4'x6' 30'-35' 6'x10' 70'-80' 10'x19'-12'x18'

40'-45' 6'x10-8'x12' 90'-100' 20'x38'-30'x50