Flags lowered Tuesday for fallen U.S. Army sergeant

LANSING, Mich.—By order of Gov. Rick Snyder, flags on all campuses of Western Michigan University and throughout Michigan will be lowered to half-staff Thursday, June 1, in honor of U.S. Army Sgt. Terrence Hinton, of Grand Rapids.

Hinton, 36, died Sunday, May 14, after the vehicle he was riding in during a training exercise in Hawaii overturned.

Hinton had been stationed in Hawaii as a motor transport operator since 2016. He joined the Army in 2009 and was deployed to Afghanistan and Kuwait in 2010 and 2014, respectively. The father of two is a native of Grand Rapids and graduated from Ottawa High School.

A service in Hinton's honor is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, June 1, at Ivy K. Gillespie Memorial Chapel, located at 1865 Eastern Ave. SE in Grand Rapids.

Flags at half-staff

Former Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm issued a proclamation in 2003, requiring U.S. flags to be lowered to half-staff throughout 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.

When flown at half-staff, the U.S. flag should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should again be raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.