Every July 27th, we mark National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, the anniversary of the 1953 agreement that halted fighting on the Korean Peninsula. It's a day many Americans still don't know much about, but for flag flyers, it comes with a specific piece of etiquette worth knowing.

Half-Staff, Not Full-Staff

Under U.S. Code Title 36, federal buildings and installations fly the American flag at half-staff on this day, a quieter tribute than the full-staff salutes of most patriotic observances. If you fly a flag at home or work, lowering it to half-staff on the 27th is a meaningful way to join in, and a detail plenty of well-intentioned flag flyers miss.

The Korean War Veterans Flag

Beyond the American flag, this day is also the moment to display the Korean War Veterans flag itself. Its design features a wreath encircling the Korean War Service Medal ribbon, framed by the words "Korean War Veterans" and "1950–1953", simple, direct, and built for solemn display rather than celebration. If you have a Korean War veteran in your family or community, flying this flag alongside Old Glory is one of the clearest ways to say their service hasn't been forgotten.

Pairing It with the POW/MIA Flag

Many who display the Korean War Veterans flag choose to fly the POW/MIA flag with it, a pairing that matters given how many service members from that war are still unaccounted for. Flag etiquette here follows the same rules as any multi-flag display: the American flag holds the position of honor (highest, or farthest right when flags are side by side), with the others following in order of precedence beneath or alongside it. On a single pole, that typically means the Korean War Veterans or POW/MIA flag flies just below the American flag, never above it.

A Small Act That Carries Weight

None of this replaces the personal gestures, a phone call to a veteran, a visit, a word of thanks. But getting the flag details right is its own quiet form of respect, one that shows the honor was intentional, not incidental. This July 27th, if you're flying a flag, take the extra minute to lower it, and consider adding the Korean War Veterans flag to the pole. It's a small act that carries a lot of weight.