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Flags lowered Monday for 1st Lt. Jonathan EddsAug. 23, 2007 KALAMAZOO--By order of Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, U.S. flags on all campuses of Western Michigan University and throughout Michigan will be lowered for one day, Monday, Aug. 27, in honor of Army 1st Lt. Jonathan W. Edds of White Pigeon, Mich., who died Aug.17 while on active duty in Iraq. Edds, age 24, died in Baghdad from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga. 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. More than 20 states now follow the practice in some form, including Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu WMU News |
