Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy at the Washington Navy Yard - Historical Half-Staff Archive

Historical notice: this observance has ended. This independent FORTISVEX resource preserves a past presidential directive; it is not a government notice.

A national flag tribute after the Navy Yard tragedy

President Obama signed Proclamation 9020 on September 16, 2013, honoring the victims of violence at the Washington Navy Yard that day. The document is a specific instruction for a period of mourning. It names the places covered and the endpoint, allowing readers to distinguish this tribute from recurring annual observances.

The proclamation does not narrate the attack or offer investigative findings. Its purpose is to mark respect for the victims through the display of the United States flag. The complete official wording below preserves that purpose without adding unverified details about the event.

Where and how long the directive applied

The order covers the White House, public buildings and grounds, military posts, naval stations, and federal naval vessels in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its territories and possessions. It also directs the same period at United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

The stated endpoint is sunset on September 20, 2013. The proclamation does not give a numerical starting hour. Its formal date is September 16, while the Federal Register publication date is September 19. The later publication date does not replace the date on the presidential document.

This page uses September 16 as its archive date and labels the observance as historical. It records an ended mourning period and should not be read as an instruction to lower flags today.

Full official proclamation text

Proclamation 9020 of September 16, 2013 — Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy at the Washington Navy Yard
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on September 16, 2013, at the Washington Navy Yard, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, September 20, 2013. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

BARACK OBAMA

Official federal proclamation text from Federal Register page 57781. Page headings and line wrapping are omitted for readability; the signature is represented by the name above.

Verify the official documents

Read or download the official proclamation PDF from GovInfo · Read the Federal Register record

Browse related historical notices in the Presidential Half-Staff Archive.

Signature page from the official published proclamation

Select the published page to open the official PDF.

Preparing a remembrance display

Explore U.S. flags at FORTISVEX when choosing a flag for your location. Review each product's size, material, and attachment details for a suitable display.