The flag of the United States should be flown at half-staff on federal buildings, grounds and facilities for 30 days from the day President Richard M. Nixon died.
The rule for flying the American flag at half-staff was established in a proclamation issued March 1, 1954, by then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower and published in the Federal Register.After Nixon died Friday evening, President Clinton ordered the flag to be displayed at half-staff at all federal buildings, including overseas embassies, for 30 days. And Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt has made a similar request for all state facilities.
In the case of multiple flagpoles or multiple flags on a single pole, officials at Colonial Specialty, Sandy, a company that specializes in flags and flagpoles, recommend that all flags be removed except the U.S. flag.
"At state, county, city or residential locations, all flags should be removed except the U.S. flag, which will remain at half-staff until the governmental entity, commercial entity or individual residential flag flier . . . decide it's appropriate to return the flag to full staff. This is usually the day after interment of the former president or any time after interment up to 30 days after his death," said Paul B. Swenson, president of the firm.
Under certain circumstances other flags, such as state, city or corporate flags, can be flown at half-staff - never higher than the U.S. flag - on adjacent flagpoles if the governor, mayor or individual decides that their flag should also fly at half-staff.
It is best to remove all adjacent non-U.S. flags unless the state, city or local leader has directed that their respective flag fly at half-staff along with the U.S. flag, Swenson said.