^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Flags at half mast

This is originally a naval term, referring to the pole or area on the mast of a ship where the flag is flown under way. This area is about three flag widths tall above the ship's main structure to allow for the occasional two-flag display (the US flag always on top) and room for lowering the flag to half mast. Because the mast area and the pole at a ship's stern are short, half mast is one flag width below the top. A flag pole is not a mast, so the flag should not be flown half-way up a tall pole. It is properly raised briskly to the block (top) and lowered slowly one flag width to the "half-mast" position. This makes it clearly not "two-blocked" and signals respect, but still keeps the flag high enough to prevent fouling and the sloppy appearance of a "half-pole" position, especially if the flag is very large. The flag, even at half mast, should be fully visible and flying freely and proudly in the wind. richard olsen

I'm sure I'm not any kind of authority on proper flag etiquette but I would like to respond to the letter from Richard Olson.
It seems to me that even though the "half-mast" is a naval term, it has become a common and proper term in American English (and British English?). Also, flags flying at the actual half-pole position, seems to me to be 'proper' since that is what I've seen all my life.
Trying to imagine what a flag would look like at one flag width below the top, seems like it would appear that someone made a mistake about the position of the flag. A flag at the half-mark of a pole is clearly intended to be there and has always made me query as to who died.
Also, Mr. Olson says that the flag is only one flag width below the top because it is short. But the fact is, is that it IS at half-mast. Were the mast on the ship to be taller, would it still have been at half-mast? Or is the rule in the Navy, one flag-width below the top no matter what the height of the mast?
Nonetheless, whether the origin of the flag being at half-pole is from the Navy or elsewhere, it certainly has become proper to lower it to half-mast (mast is also defined as a vertical or near vertical pole: Webster) in our culture and society today and I see no reason to change it.
The act of raising it to the top of the block, then to half-mast when raising the flag and then raising it again to the block before lowering it seems logical to me. The placement of the flag at half-mast is not the 'norm' for the placement of the flag. Its symbolic representation of the nation (branch of military, etc.) should be at a high point for all to see and respect. The 'lack of respect' of placing the flag at half-mast seems, to me, to place the nation second to the death of an important figure. Raising the flag to the block before and after raising it seems symbolic that this is where the flag should be but because of a great loss due to death, we will forgo that place of honor so as to honor the dead more. Returning the flag again to the block returns the flag to its honored position saying (maybe) that the nation goes on despite the death. michael menninger

According to US Navy custom, there is/was only one flag that could be flown above the US national flag . . . this was the church flag (white pennant, blue cross lengthwise), flown during religious services. This might have been amended since to include the UN flag, but it was not permitted then. Having some familiarity with USN tradition, I doubt it.
The national flag was two blocked (raised to the top of the halyard) and flown there. When flown at half mast, it was first two blocked and then lowered to the proper position half way down the length of the halyard (rope). The reverse was done when lowering the flag at sunset.
Only the national flag was flown from a single halyard, but that might have been done otherwise by other services or when used by civilians. There were only two sites where the flag could be flown at night: Fort McHenry and the battleship Arizona memorial. This custom has been amended since so that the flag can be flown at night if illuminated. Naturally, the flag can be flown anytime during battle.
It is only natural that customs differ elsewhere, particularly in those countries having a history much older then here. I'd be most interested in hearing about them. alvan fisher

In the United States the flag is flown at half-staff, by order of the President, to honor the memory of high ranking government officials upon their death. Regulations concerning the flying of the flag at half-staff are readily available. See: a site devoted to this subject. I am interested to learn of the history of this custom and whether this practice is worldwide. duane streufert

James Dignan, Nathan Augustine, T W Hall and Anton Sherwood all mention that flags are flown at half mast in memorial of the dead by schools, corporations, fire stations, government institutions and individuals.
My understanding is that the flag is theoretically not flown at "half" mast, but one flag's depth down from the masthead (in practice, it's often more than that) to allow for the "invisible flag of death" to be flown at the top of the mast. The idea goes back to mediaeval times, I think. The same protocol applies in New Zealand for deaths of the head of state and other Royal Family members, the Governor General, the Prime Minister and other Ministers of the Crown. The days on which the flag is half masted (day of death, day of funeral, days in between) vary according to the status of the deceased. ANZAC Day (our Memorial Day equivalent) is another half-mast day (usually morning only). Of course, many official and private organizations also half mast the flag in respect of deaths of other people of special significance to them. stuart park

Duane Streufert posted an article concerning the etiquette of flying the flag at half mast from the Nov.-Dec. 1994 National Flag Foundations "Standard Bearer" Magazine. This article remains the copyrighted material of the National Flag Foundation and is presented here by permission.
Nathan Augustine posted a reply.