GOVERNOR CUOMO DIRECTS FLAGS TO HALF-STAFF. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that flags on state government buildings will be flown at half-staff on. Atop the State House, the US flag and South Carolina’s flag were lowered after the church shootings, but not the Confederate flag. Half-mast is flying a flag below the summit of the mast on a ship. The term half-staff is used when referring to a flag flying below the summit on a pole. In many. How did the tradition of flying the flag at half-staff get started? It's tough to say, but the oldest commonly accepted reference to a half-staff flag dates back to. I believe that the WH only lowered the flag today because he was going to talk today at a VFW conference. No other reason. Racism, bias and prejudice are described by. Fox Reporter Asks: Why No White House Flag at Half-Staff After Chattanooga Attack? This is originally a naval term, referring to the pole or area on the mast of a ship where the flag is flown under way. This area is about three flag. Half Mast Flag News. The United States flag is flown at half-staff on Friday September 11, 2015 for Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, 2015 Display Half Staff Notifications on your site with our Half Staff Widgets: State Widget Is today a half staff day? Each time we learn of a half staff either statewide or federal, we will send out an email to everyone who has signed up for the alerts.