Flags lowered Friday for Airman Jimmy HansenSept. 22, 2010 LANSING, Mich.--By order of Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. flags on all campuses of Western Michigan University and throughout Michigan will be lowered Friday, Sept. 24, Senior Airman James A. (Jimmy) Hansen of Athens, Mich., who died Sept. 15 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
Hansen's family has requested that flags be lowered Friday. Visitation for Hansen is Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Athens High School gymnasium. The funeral service is Saturday, Sept. 25, at St. Philip Catholic Church in Battle Creek, with burial at Fort Custer National Cemetery. In December 2003, Gov. Granholm issued a proclamation requiring U.S. flags to be lowered to half-staff throughout the state of Michigan and on Michigan waters to honor Michigan servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty. Michigan was among the first states to honor its fallen sons and daughters by lowering flags. Media contact: Tonya Durlach, (269) 387-8400, tonya.durlach@wmich.edu WMU News |
Hansen, age 25, died from injuries suffered during a controlled detonation. He was assigned to the 46th Operations Support Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.