The Milford Mail reported on Christmas day, 1941, that Titterington was the "first Milford young man to give his life for his country in the recently declared war with Japan." His two younger brothers also enlisted in the armed forces.

National flag

Flags half-staff in Iowa on Monday honors fallen Navy Fireman 1st Class Everett C. Titterington, a native of Milford, Iowa, who was killed at Pearl Harbor during World War II.

Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex, according to the governor’s announcement. Flags will also be at half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.

Half-mast is used when flag is flown from a flagpole, typically referring to a ship mast or similar structures, according to Federal Flags. Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds up between the top and bottom of the flagstaff.

EuropeanUnion Flag

Half-staff is the term used for flags on land, particularly in the United States. Half-staff describes a flag that is raised halfway, between the top and bottom of the flagpole.

Austria flag

While individuals, businesses or local governments are not mandated to lower flags, the governor encourages them to do so.

Titterington left his Milford home on Thursday, Dec. 14, 1939, to enlist in the Navy. But just two years later, at 21 years old, he died aboard the USS Oklahoma when it sank after being hit by torpedoes.

Belgium flag

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her atvreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter@VictoriaReynaR.

When the American flag is flown at half-staff, it conveys a message of respect and mourning. Federal Flags says this custom is most often observed following the death of a government official, military personnel or in response to a national tragedy.

Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday, Sept. 9, according to a news release.

His remains were originally unable to be identified and buried at at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. After being identified in 2021 and returned to his family, he will be laid to rest at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California, on Monday, Sept. 9.