Minnesota Governor Dayton has proclaimed February 3, 2012 as Immortal Four Chaplains Day in the State of Minnesota as an example of compassion for those of different races or faiths, and has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday, February 3, 2012 in honor of Immortal Four Chaplains Day.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flag and Minnesota State flags lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, January 7, 2012 in honor of World War II hero Mike Colalillo and Lake City, Minnesota Police Department Officer Shawn Schneider. Officer Schneider died a hero on December 30, 2011, eleven days after being shot in the line of duty while saving the life of another person. Michael “Mike” Colalillo, the last living Medal of Honor recipient in Minnesota, died on Friday, December 30, 2011 at eight-six years of age.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flags and Minnesota State flags lowered to half-staff at all state and federal buildings in the State of Minnesota from sunrise to sunset on Thursday, December 22, 2011 in honor of Chief Warrant Officer Lucas Sigfrid who died on Monday, December 12, 2011 in Fort Lewis, Washington while participating in helicopter training.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flags and Minnesota State flags lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, August 27, 2011 on all state and federal buildings in honor of Sergeant Matthew Allen Harmon who died on August 14, 2011 in Afghanistan.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered the United States flag and Minnesota State flag lowered to half-staff at all state and federal buildings from sunrise to sunset on Monday, August 22, 2011 in honor of Chief Special Warfare Operator John Weston Faas who died on August 6, 2011 in Afghanistan.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flags and Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff at all state and federal buildings in the State of Minnesota from sunrise to sunset on Friday, August 19, 2011 in honor of Special Operator Second Class Nicholas Patrick Spehar.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flags and Minnesota State flags lowered to half-staff at the State Capitol Complex, and all state buildings and grounds in proximity to the State Capitol on Monday, August 1, 2011 in honor of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse that killed 13 people and injured 145 on Wednesday, August 1, 2007.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flags and Minnesota flags lowered to half-staff at all state and federal buildings from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, July 9, 2011 in honor of United States Marine Sergeant Chad Frokjer who died on Thursday, June 30, 2011 in Afghanistan.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has proclaimed June 28, 2011 as Linda Scheid Day throughout the State of Minnesota and has ordered all United States flags and State of Minnesota flag at all state and federal buildings lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday, June 28, 2011. Linda Scheid served as a Minnesota State Representative from 1977 to 1979, 1983 to 1991 and as a Minnesota State Senator from 1997 to 2011

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flags and Minnesota State flags lowered on to half-staff on all State buildings from sunrise to susnet on Saturday, June 25, 2011 in honor of Harry Lester and Ralph William Carlson. Lieutenant Harry Lester Bedard, a native son of the State of Minnesota, was killed in action on April 3, 1945, while serving as a Bombardier Navigator in the United States Army Air Force in World War II, and his family has been waiting sixty-six years for his return and proper memorial. Lieutenant Harry Lester Bedard’s remains were recovered in 1947, and identified by DNA in April, 2010. Sergeant Ralph William Carlson was killed in action on April 30, 1951 while serving as a tank driver in the United States Army during the Korean War. Sergeant Ralph William Carlson's remains were returned to the United States from North Korea sometime between the years of 1990-1994, and identified by DNA in February, 2011.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flags and Minnesota State flags lowered to half-staff at all state and federal buildings in the State of Minnesota from sunrise until sunset on Saturday, June 18, 2011 in honor of Captain Darrell John Spinler who died in action on June 21, 1967, serving the United States Air Force in the Vietnam War. Captain Spinler’s remains were recovered on November 17, 2010 and identified on January 5, 2011. He will be honored with a burial with full military honors on Saturday, June 18, 2011.

Minnesota Governor Dayton has ordered all United States flags and Minnesota State flags lowered to half-staff at all state and federal buildings from sunrise to sunset Friday, June 17, 2011 in honor of United States Army Specialist Emilio J. Camp Jr. who died on Monday, June 6, 2011 in Baghdad, Iraq.

In honor of Army Specialist Joseph Alan Kennedy, Governor Mark Dayton has ordered all U.S. flags and Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff at all state and federal buildings in Minnesota from sunrise until sunset on Thursday, April 28, 2011, the day of his interment.  Kennedy, a native of Inver Grove Heights, was killed in combat in Afghanistan on April 15, 2011.  He graduated from Simley High School in 2004, and was a member of the U.S. Army Company D, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry, based out of Fort Knox, Kentucky.  A proclamation outlining Kennedy’s accomplishments and ordering flags at half-staff is attached.