Gov. Beshear orders flags to half-staff Monday

Gov. Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff Monday in honor of a Fort Campbell soldier who died while supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

According to the Department of Defense, Spc. John M. Dawson, 22, of Whitinsville, Mass., died April 8 in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was attacked by small arms fire while he was on an escort mission. He was assigned to 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell.

Services for Spc. Dawson will be held Monday at 11 a.m. local time at St. Gabriels the Archangel Church in Upton, Mass.

Gov. Beshear encourages individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies to join in this tribute.

Flag status information is available at http://governor.ky.gov/Pages/flagstatus.aspx.