Why Is The Flag Half-Staff On Thursday?

MASSACHUSETTS—Governor Charlie Baker has ordered that the United States flag and the Commonwealth flag be lowered to half-staff from sunrise until sunset at all state buildings on Thursday, Aug. 2, the day of interment, in honor of Technical Sergeant John F. Brady.

Sergeant Brady was killed in action on Nov. 2, 1944, when his B-17 was shot down by German fighter pilots over Merseburg, Germany. T/SGT Brady will be laid to rest in Saint Francis Old Cemetery in Taunton, Massachusetts.

On Nov. 2, 1944,Brady was among the Airmen were members of the 323rd Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy), Eighth Air Force. This nine-man aircrew was on a mission to Merseburg, Germany, when their plane was hit by flak during the bomb run, announced the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. As the B-17 fell out of formation, German fighters attacked.

Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft burst into flames and descend rapidly. It crashed two kilometers southwest of the town of Barby. Three crewmembers survived and were taken as prisoners of war. One airman who was killed was identified in May 1945. Brady and four others were declared missing in action.

In January 1951, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) concluded that the five unaccounted-for crew members perished in the crash and the location of their remains was unknown.

Department of Defense historians and analysts, aided by German researchers and local government officials, located a potential crash site associated with their loss. Recovery operations were conducted from June to September 2015. DPAA returned to the crash site in April and May 2016, locating additional osseous remains, material evidence and aircraft wreckage, consolidating them with the evidence from the previous operations.

This half-staff gubernatorial order applies to:

1. The main or administration building of each public institution of the Commonwealth, e.g. town and city halls
2. Other state-owned or state-controlled buildings
3. All state military installations

Photo via Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency