Politics & Government
Why Is The Flag Half-Staff On Wednesday?
Navy Yeoman 3rd Class Edmund T. Ryan was killed in Pearl Harbor in 1941. His remains have been identified.

MASSACHUSETTS— Governor Charlie Baker has ordered that the United States flag and the Commonwealth flag be lowered to half-staff at all state buildings effective Wednesday, Aug. 2, from sunrise to sunset. This is the day of interment for Navy Yeoman 3rd Class Edmund T. Ryan, a Massachusetts native combat veteran who served on the USS Oklahoma and was killed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. His remains have been identified and are returning home to be laid to rest this Wednesday.
This gubernatorial order applies to:
- The main or administration building of each public institution of the Commonwealth, e.g. town and city halls
- Other state-owned or state-controlled buildings
- All state military installations
Photo via Shutterstock
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