August 14, 2008

Flags lowered to honor war casualty

The United States flag and the Illinois flag will fly at half-staff at all State of Illinois facilities in honor of an Illinois man killed while serving in the military in the war in Iraq.

The flags are to be flown at half-staff from sunrise Saturday, Aug. 16, to sunset Monday, Aug. 18, in honor of U.S. Marine Cpl. Adam T. McKiski.

Reports indicate that McKiski, 21, of Cherry Valley, near Rockford, died Thursday, Aug. 7, in a mine-resistant armor-protected vehicle accident while supporting combat operations outside Fallujah, McKiski was assigned to the 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He enlisted in the Marines in October 2004 and was on his second tour of duty, according to reports.

In September, Gov. Rod. R. Blagojevich signed legislation requiring all state agencies to fly the U.S. flag, the Illinois flag, and appropriate military flags at half-staff for the death of an Illinois resident killed by hostile fire while a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, or for a law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.

The U.S and Illinois flags are being flown at half-staff beginning today, Thursday, Aug. 14, to sunset Friday, Aug. 15, in honor of former Illinois State Rep. Maureen Murphy, R-Evergreen Park., who died Saturday, Aug. 9.