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Flags lowered for three killed in combatNov. 27, 2007 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 Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 28-30, in honor of three Michigan men killed in Iraq and Afghanistan while on active duty. Wednesday, Nov. 28, flags will be lowered to honor Army Cpl. Jason T. Lee, age 26, of Fruitport, Mich., who died Nov. 18 in Baquabah, Iraq, from wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated during a mounted patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. Thursday, Nov. 29, flags will be lowered to honor Marine Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks, age 28, of Troy, Mich., who died Nov. 9 in Aranus, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif. Friday, Nov. 30, flags will be lowered to honor Army Pfc. Casey P. Mason, age 22, of Lake, Mich., who died Nov. 13 in Mosul, Iraq, from wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. 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. More than 20 states now follow the practice in some form, including Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu WMU News |
