President Joe Biden honors former Sen. Harry Reid with flags flown at half-staff

Flags are being lowered to half-staff today across the country to honor the life of Senator Harry Reid.

Reid, who served Nevada in the upper chamber for three decades, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2018. He died on Dec. 28 at age 82.

"He was a man of action, and a man of his word — guided by faith, loyalty, and unshakeable resolve," President Joe Biden wrote in a declaration for the honor this week.

“We celebrate Harry Mason Reid’s final return to the Capitol because we must. Few have shaped the workings of this building, like our dear friend from Nevada,” Schumer said during a ceremony Wednesday. He "was a force of thunder. He was honest, he was direct, and he was original.”

Here's what we know about why and when American flags are flown at half-staff.

What time are flags displayed at half-staff?

Customs call for flags to be shown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset unless the flag can be illuminated overnight.

Holidays where the flag is half-staff around the country

May 15 - Peace Officers Memorial Day (half-staff all day)

Last Monday in May - Memorial Day (half-staff until noon)

Sept. 11 - Patriot Day (half-staff all day)

First Sunday in October - Fallen Fighters Fallen Firefighters (half-staff all day)

Dec. 7 - Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (half-staff all day)

Courtesy of aflag.com and halfstaffalert.org.

What's the difference between half-mast and half-staff?

According to The Sextant, the Naval History and Heritage Command’s blog, half-mast refers to lowered flags on a ship, while half-staff is a pole in the ground. But the blog continues to say half-mast is used outside the U.S.

USA TODAY contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Sen. Harry Reid honored with flags flown at half-staff