Displaying Old Glory Properly On Memorial Day In Downers Grove

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — As more-traditional Memorial Day services to honor those who have died while serving in the military return in 2021, so do the reminders of the proper ways to display the Stars and Stripes in Downers Grove and throughout America.

The American flag on Memorial Day — which falls on Monday, May 31, this year — should at first be flown at half-staff, much like at other times of national mourning.

The U.S. flag code is specific about how it should be raised and lowered, and for how long it should remain lowered during the day.

On Memorial Day, the flag should be briskly raised to the peak and remain there for an instant before it is slowly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains until noon. Then the flag is briskly hoisted to the peak again, where Old Glory remains until sunset, when it is slowly lowered.

It’s an important piece of symbolism. Until noon, the flag flies at half-staff as a memorial for the nation’s military war dead; for the rest of the day, it flies full and high in a salute to living veterans.

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The tradition predates the 20th century, National Flag Foundation Executive Director Clark Rogers told Live Science. “For the nation lives, and the flag is a symbol of illumination,” he said in explaining how the noon flag-raising symbolizes the perseverance of the nation in the face of loss.

Many other towns and cities across the country, such as New Canaan, Connecticut; Brick, New Jersey; and Doylestown, Pennsylvania, are returning to tradition by bringing back Memorial Day parades after canceling them a year ago due to the coronavirus pandemic.