All across the country today, Americans will bring out flags to observe Independence Day.

FILE/Staff photo

Flying them the right way, says Pat Mars, past commander of the American Legion fifth district based in Dallas, should be part of that celebration. "We have service members going to and returning from war. Improper displays are not good for morale," says Mr. Mars.

American Legion members teach classes and publish information on how to treat the flag, and the group offers the following rules to help citizens understand how to properly handle Old Glory.

When the American flag is displayed with another flag, the American flag should be the most prominent. For example, if there are multiple flags on a single pole, the American flag flies at the top position.

If a house has a flag bracket mounted on the façade and also a flag pole positioned in the ground in front of the house, the more prominently positioned spot is considered to be the pole in the ground. Mr. Mars says the most common form of discourteous flag use he sees is flying a Texas flag on the pole in front of the house and positioning the American flag on the house.

When displaying a flag flat against the side of a house or in a window, the blue field of stars known as the union, or canton, should appear at the top left side, from the viewer's perspective.

It is appropriate to display the flag from sunup to sundown, although it may remain up overnight if illuminated. The flag should not be flown during bad weather, and it is also inappropriate to drape the flag over any vehicle or boat.

Properly folding an American flag requires two people. Those handling the flag should not let any part of it touch the ground. The folding process starts with two lengthwise folds done with the union facing out. Then a series of triangular folds are made starting on the striped end, bringing the folded edge to the open edge to make the first fold. The diagonal folds are continued all the way to the end of the union. Any leftover length is then tucked into the bundle. Tradition holds that each fold is symbolic of a patriotic or spiritual value and that the end result of the folding process resembles Gen. George Washington's three-corner hat.

When an American flag becomes tattered or unusable, it should be retired. Civic groups including the American Legion periodically hold ceremonies, most typically on Flag Day (June 14), to dispose of unserviceable flags by burning them. Anyone wishing to have a flag properly retired may drop it off at any American Legion post.The 4-1-1 on flags

Detailed guidelines and interesting historical facts and customs can be found online.

• The American Legion (www.legion.org) offers illustrations and dates that are important for displaying the flag. (Search for "flag" on the home page.)

• The National Flag Foundation (www.americanflags.org), a nonprofit educational organization, provides little-known facts about the flag.

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