MEDIA RELEASE

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has ordered the United States and Hawai‘i State flags to fly at half-staff at state, county and federal buildings throughout Hawai‘i on Monday, April 26, 2010 in honor of Specialist Presley Tagaloa who died on April 6 while serving our nation.

SPC Presley Tagaloa of ‘Ewa Beach entered military service on November 8, 2007. He was assigned to Delta Company, 100th BN 442D Infantry Regiment, Fort Shafter, Hawai‘i.

A burial service for Specialist Tagaloa will be held on Monday.

The Governor’s proclamation encourages residents to display the U.S. and Hawai‘i state flags at half-staff at their homes and businesses on Monday in honor of SPC Tagaloa.

The Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007 (H.R. 692) authorizes the governor of a state to order the U.S. flag to be flown at half staff following the death of a member of the Armed Forces who dies while serving on active duty. Based on this law, which was approved by the U.S. Congress and the President in June 2007, Governor Lingle, in consultation with State Adjutant General Major General Robert Lee, established a state policy of lowering the national and state flags to honor an Armed Forces service member killed in action whose “home of record” is Hawai‘i.