US: Why are flags at half-mast today?

President Joe Biden and governors across the United States on Saturday, December 7, issued a nationwide directive for flags to be flown at half-mast to mark National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, honoring the lives lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor 83 years ago.

On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on the U.S. naval base in Oahu, Hawaii, killing 2,403 service members and civilians. 

Over 1,000 others were injured in the assault, which also saw multiple battleships, including the USS Arizona and USS Utah, sunk and 188 aircraft destroyed. The attack ultimately drew the United States into World War II.

In a proclamation urging individuals, organisations, and agencies to participate in the tribute, Biden said, “Today, we must be keepers of their mission and bearers of the flame of freedom they kept burning bright.”

The lowering of the American flag to half-staff serves as a national symbol of mourning. It can be ordered by the president, a state governor, or the mayor of Washington, D.C., to honour government officials, military personnel, first responders, or victims of national tragedies. It is also a common practice on Memorial Day and other significant days of remembrance.

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