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Flags lowered for two Michigan servicemen

Oct. 31, 2006

KALAMAZOO--By order of Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. flags on all campuses of Western Michigan University and throughout Michigan will be lowered Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 1-2, in honor of two U.S. Marines from Michigan who served in the same unit and died along side each other while on active duty in Iraq.

Flags will be lowered Wednesday to honor Marine Lance Cpl. Clifford R. Collinsworth, age 20, of Chelsea, Mich.

Flags will be lowered Thursday to honor Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Manoukian, age 22, of Lathrup Village, Mich.

Both Marines were assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., and both died Oct. 21 while conducting combat operations in in Al Anbar province, Iraq.

Flags should return to full-staff Friday, Nov. 3.

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 earlier states to honor its fallen sons and daughters by lowering flags. Sixteen states now follow the practice, including Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, South Dakota, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

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