All Star Flags All Star Flags - Part 18

American Flags to fly at half-staff throughout the United States Tuesday, October 29th in honor of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Thomas Foley. Rep. Foley was a Democrat who represented Washington state for 30 years beginning in 1964. The also served as Speaker of the House from 1989 to 1995. He later went on to serve as the US ambassador to Japan from 1997 to 2001.

From the Office of the President:
As a mark of respect for the memory of Thomas S. Foley, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions on Tuesday, October 29, 2013. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff on that day at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
BARACK OBAMA

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American Flags and Pennsylvania Flags to fly at half-staff Saturday, October 26th in the State of Pennsylvania in honor of US Army Staff Sergeant Patrick Quinn. Staff Sgt. Quinn died as a result of injuries suffered from an enemy attack while he was serving in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Quinn was a Green Beret and was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, Colorado. Quinn joined the US Army in 2006 and had served a previous deployment to Iraq in 2008-09. Some of Staff Sgt. Quinn’s awards include: Four Army Commendation Medals, The Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Two Army Good Conduct Medals, The National Defense Service Medal, The Iraq Campaign Medal (with 2 Campaign Stars), The Global War on Terror Service Medal, Two Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, the Army Service Ribbon, Two Overseas Service Ribbons, Special Forces Tab, Parachutist Badge, The Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Purple Heart (posthumously), the Bronze Star Medal(posthumously), the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (posthumously) and the NATO Medal(posthumously).
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American Flags and Kansas Flags to fly at half-staff Wednesday, October 23rd in the State of Kansas in honor of US Army Sergeant Patrick Hawkins. Sergeant Hawkins was an Army Ranger who died as a result of injuries suffered while serving in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Hawkins was assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia.
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Alaska Flags to fly at half-staff Thursday, October 17th in honor of former Alaska Rep. Joe Montgomery. Rep. Montgomery was a former B-17 pilot in WWII and served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983.
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American Flags and Hawaii Flags to fly at half-staff Thursday, October 17th in the State of Hawaii in honor of former state Senator Cal Kawamoto. Former Senator Kawamoto was a former fighter pilot who served his country for 20 years in the US Air Force. He later went on to serve in the state senate from 1994 to 2004.
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American Flags and Kentucky Flags to fly at half-staff Wednesday, October 16th in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in honor of US Army Spc. Angel Lopez.  Spc. Lopez died of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Spc. Lopez was assigned to  the 201st Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Knox, KY.

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American Flags and Kentucky Flags to fly at half-staff on Tuesday, October 15th in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in honor of US Army Staff Sgt Thomas Baysore Jr.    Staff Sgt. Baysore died of a result of injuries suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit during combat operations in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.  He was a squad leader assigned to 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY.  Staff Sgt. Baysore was serving on his third deployment with his first having come in March of 2003 to Iraq and his second in 2005 to Afghanistan.

US Army Staff Sgt. Thomas Baysore Jr received some of the following awards during his career:  three Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, one Valorous United Award, one Army Superior Unit Award, four Army Good Conduct Medals, one National Defense Service Medal, three Afghanistan Campaign Medals, one Iraq Campaign Medal with Arrowhead, one Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, two Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, one Army Service Ribbon, one NATO Defense Medal. U.S. Army Basic Recruiter Badge-Gold with three Star Sapphires, one Combat Infantryman’s Badge, one Expert Infantryman’s Badge, one Air Assault Badge, one Parachutist Badge, Parachutist Badge with Distinguished Device, Bronze Service Star, one Expert Marksmanship Badge. Additionally, Thomas was also awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his ultimate sacrifice to his country.

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All Star Flags takes a look at the history behind Columbus Day, the present day controversy surrounding the holiday and the flags associated with Christopher Columbus and his famous expeditions.

Columbus Day: History and Flags 2013

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American Flags and Minnesota Flags to fly at half-staff Saturday, October 12th in the State of Minnesota in honor of US Army Corporal Harold Evans. Corporal Evans served in the US Army during the Korean War. He was reported as missing in action in December of 1950. His remains were recovered from N. Korea and were positively identified in September of 2013. His military interment ceremony will take place this Saturday.
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American Flags and New Jersey flags to fly at half-staff Thursday, October 10th through Thursday, October 17th in the State of New Jersey in honor of US Army Master Sergeant Nicholas Oresko. Master Sergeant Oresko was the oldest living recipient of the Medal of Honor (since January 2011). He received his Medal of Honor from President Truman in October of 1945 as a result of his actions in France in 1944. While a platoon sergeant in Company C, 302nd Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division; Oresko defeated two German bunkers while being injured but staying the course until his mission was complete. Master Sergeant Oresko passed away on October 4th at the age of ninety-six.
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