Flags lowered to honor Illinois Iraq War casualties

The United States flag and the Illinois flag will fly at half-staff at all State of Illinois facilities on Thursday, April 26, and Friday, April 27, to honor two Illinois men killed while serving in the military in the war in Iraq, under proclamations signed by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich.

The flags will be at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Thursday in honor of U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jesse D. Delatorre. Reports indicate that Delatorre, 29, of East Aurora, was killed April 16 while conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar province in Iraq.

The flags will be at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday in honor of U.S. Army Pfc. Lucas V. Starcevich. Reports indicate that Starcevich, 25, of Tolono, was killed in action on April 16 in in Baghdad.

At the recommendation of a suburban Barrington man, Blagojevich in December 2004 issued a proclamation also directing all State of Illinois facilities to lower their flags to half-staff on the day of a funeral for any Illinois National Guardsman killed in combat. The flags are then raised again to full-staff the following day.