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Flag Etiquette | Flag Day Links

Flag Day marks the birthday of the Stars & Stripes as the U.S. Flag. While it has changed dramatically since that first flag adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, we still revere it as the living symbol of the national principles of liberty, justice, and freedom that we hold most dear.

The Continental Congress declared the first official flag be 13 stripes alternating red and white with a union of 13 white stars on a blue field. Today's flag is the twenty-seventh version adding a 50th star for Hawaii on July 4, 1960. It maintains the original 13 red and white stripes while there is a white star for each state arranged in 9 rows. Each of those 50 stars represents an individual state. Wisconsin is represented by the 30th star, or the 2nd star in the sixth row.

President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation in 1916 marking June 14th – the anniversary of that first resolution of adopting our national flag – as Flag Day. In August of 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.

Wisconsin offers a state incentive for displaying the flag through a statewide sales tax exemption on the sale of United States and Wisconsin flags. This tax exemption has been just one more incentive for communities, veterans, and everyday citizens to honor our national and state flags.

WDVA works every day to honor those who served under that flag in the Armed Forces of the United States to defend this great nation and the Constitution and principles on which it was founded.

As you fly your flag take a moment to consider the history of our national flag, and the meaning it has had for Americans and its veterans.

Flag Etiquette

On Memorial Day (half-staff until noon), and such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States or the Governor of the State, the U. S. flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of the nation’s battle heroes. To display the flag at half staff, hoist it to the peak for an instant and lower it to a position half way between the top and bottom of the staff.

View general guidelines for displaying the flag here.

View WDVA Bulletin 800 regarding days on which federal law currently designates the flag is to be flown at half-staff.

Flag Day Links

Governor Walker Flag Day Proclamation

A Guide to American Flags (historic, and state flags)

Flag Day for Students K-12

U.S. Flag Code, display of the flag

American Flag Foundation

History of Flag Day (June 14th)

The Story of the Star Spangled Banner

Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima

Waubeka, Wisconsin - Birthplace of Flag Day

Burial Flags

Monthly Burial Flags Distribution 1997-2007

Wisconsin Sales Tax Exemption, U.S. and Wisconsin State Flags