Flag Day Tips for Connecticut Residents

June 14 is Flag Day and to commemorate one of the longest American observances, Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars posts annually offer tips about the proper care and display of the U.S. flag.

Flag Day is a tried and true observance in the United States. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day. In August 1946, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. Flag Day is not an official federal holiday.

Here are are some tips, courtesy of the VFW:

• The federal flag code says the universal custom is to display the U.S. flag from sunrise to sunset on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in the open, but when a patriotic effect is desired the flag may be displayed 24-hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness. Also, the U.S. flag should not be displayed when the weather is inclement, except when an all-weather flag is displayed.
• For most homeowners with one flagpole, this means the U.S. flag is at the peak, above any other flag.
• The U.S. flag should not be torn, ripped or in any way wrapped around the pole or snagged in the lines. It should fly free and be able to move around the pole unobstructed.
• A U.S. flag should never be used as clothing or for decoration. Red, white and blue bunting is the proper method for decoration on porches, windows, etc.
• On special days, by order of the governor, the flag may be flown at half-staff.

Here are some other guidelines:

• Do not let the flag touch the ground.
• Do not carry the flag flat, or carry things in it.
• Do not store the flag where it can get dirty.
• Do not use it as a cover.
• Do not fasten it or tie it back. Always allow it to fall free.
• Do not draw on, or otherwise mark the flag.
• When a U.S. flag is no longer able to be flown properly, disposal by burning is required.

In the United States, Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.

Patch is calling on all residents to send images of their flags on Flag Day. Photos can be sent to northern Connecticut Patch editor Tim Jensen at tim.jensen@Patch.com. Please send horizontal photos, as vertical pictures get cropped badly by our content management system, and please indicate from which town you are sending.

Photo credit: Tim Jensen