Flags to be Flown Half-Staff for Oregon Victims, Sgt. Vars

Governor Charlie Baker has ordered that the United States flag and the Commonwealth flag be flown at half-staff at all state buildings on Tuesday.

The flags will be at half staff beginning immediately in the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 6, through sunset, to honor the victims of the tragedy in Rosenburg, Oregon, that occurred on Oct. 1.

Additionally, both flags will flown at half-staff on the same day in honor of Sergeant Christopher Y. Vars, United States Army, of Reading, who was listed as Missing in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on Nov. 29, 1950.

Sgt. Vars was the recipient of many awards, including the Purple Heart, the POW & Mia Medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and several others. The Sergeant’s remains were returned to the United States on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and he will be buried with full military honors on October 6, 2015.