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‘‘(d) The flag of the United States of America, when it is displayed
with another flag against a wall from crossed staffs, should be on the right,
the flag’s own right, and its staff should be in front of the staff of the other
flag.
‘‘(e) The flag of the United States of America should be at the center
and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of States or
localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed from staffs.
‘‘(f ) When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies
are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter
should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent
staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last.
No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States
or to the United States flag’s right.
‘‘(g) When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be
flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of ap-
proximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag
of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
‘‘(h) When the flag of the United States is displayed from a staff pro-
jecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front
of a building, the union of the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff
unless the flag is at half staff. When the flag is suspended over a sidewalk
from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk,
the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.
‘‘(i) When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the
union should be uppermost and to the flag’s own right, that is, to the ob-
server’s left. When displayed in a window, the flag should be displayed in
the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in
the street.
‘‘(j) When the flag is displayed over the middle of the street, it should
be suspended vertically with the union to the north in an east and west
street or to the east in a north and south street.
‘‘(k) When used on a speaker’s platform, the flag, if displayed flat,
should be displayed above and behind the speaker. When displayed from a
staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of
America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the
audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman’s or speaker’s right
as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on
the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience.
‘‘(l) The flag should form a distinctive feature of the ceremony of un-
veiling a statue or monument, but it should never be used as the covering
for the statue or monument.
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‘‘(m) The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the
peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag
should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Me-
morial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then
raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be
flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States
Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark
of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or
foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to
Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized cus-
toms or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of
a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or
possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or
possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff.
The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty days from the death of the Presi-
dent or a former President; ten days from the day of death of the Vice
President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States,
or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until
interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an
executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor
of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the follow-
ing day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at halfstaff on
Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day.
As used in this subsection—
‘‘(1) the term ‘half-staff’ means the position of the flag when it
is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;
‘‘(2) the term ‘executive or military department’ means any agency
listed under sections 101 and 102 of title 5; and
‘‘(3) the term ‘Member of Congress’ means a Senator, a Rep-
resentative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto
Rico.
‘‘(n) When the flag is used to cover a casket, it should be so placed
that the union is at the head and over the left shoulder. The flag should
not be lowered into the grave or allowed to touch the ground.
‘‘(o) When the flag is suspended across a corridor or lobby in a build-
ing with only one main entrance, it should be suspended vertically with the
union of the flag to the observer’s left upon entering. If the building has
more than one main entrance, the flag should be suspended vertically near
the center of the corridor or lobby with the union to the north, when en-
trances are to the east and west or to the east when entrances are to the
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north and south. If there are entrances in more than two directions, the
union should be to the east.
‘‘§ 8. Respect for flag
‘‘No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of
America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental
colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped
as a mark of honor.
‘‘(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except
as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or prop-
erty.
‘‘(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the
ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
‘‘(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always
aloft and free.
‘‘(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or
drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but al-
ways allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged
with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be
used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and
for decoration in general.
‘‘(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in
such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any
way.
‘‘(f ) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
‘‘(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it,
nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture,
or drawing of any nature.
‘‘(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, hold-
ing, carrying, or delivering anything.
‘‘(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any
manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cush-
ions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper
napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and dis-
card. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from
which the flag is flown.
‘‘(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic
uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military
personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The
flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.
Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel
near the heart.