Florida flags ordered at half-staff in honor of Memorial Day

As Americans nationwide honor and mourn the people who sacrificed their lives while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, Florida will fly its flags at half-staff in recognition of Memorial Day.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Navy veteran, gave the order to lower the United States and State of Florida flags Monday at all local and state buildings, installations and grounds from sunrise until noon.

“On Memorial Day, we honor the heroes of the United States military who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country,” he said in a statement.

“May we never forget the selfless bravery of the men and women who laid down their lives to protect their fellow citizens. Our hearts are heavy with gratitude for their unwavering commitment to protecting this nation’s highest ideal of freedom in the face of grave danger.”

There are 1.5 million veterans currently living in the Sunshine State, according to a proclamation the Governor’s Office published Friday that called Florida “the most veteran-friendly state in the Nation.”

The proclamation also includes a request that all Floridians pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. Monday.

Initially called Decoration Day, Memorial Day began being observed in many communities following the Civil War, when more than 620,000 Americans — roughly 2% of the total population then — died, according to the National Archives.

Not counting casualties during the Revolutionary War, more than 646,000 U.S. troops were killed in battle and another 539,000 have died from other, non-combat-related causes, according to Military.com.

In addition to annually ordering flags to be flown at half-staff on Memorial Day, the Governor has called for the same practice to recognize other holidays, pay respect to fallen police personnel and honor victims of tragedies like the Pulse nightclub shooting.