Memo: Flags at Half-Staff in Honor of Aerospace Hero Colonel Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr.
From: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
January 28, 2023
Colonel Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. passed away on December 9, 2022, at the age of 94. Born and raised in the State of Florida, Colonel Kittinger was a proud Floridian who accomplished many aviation achievements throughout his life. He dedicated twenty-nine years of service to the United States Air Force, serving three tours during the Vietnam War. Kittinger spent eleven months as a prisoner of war in a North Vietnamese prison after shooting down a Vietnamese jet fighter. He received many military awards including two Silver Stars, two Purple Hearts, and a POW Medal, to name a few. After his time in the military, Kittinger broke numerous aviation records. He held the world record for the highest skydive from 1960 until 2012, and in 1984 became the first man to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a gas balloon. Colonel Kittinger accomplished much in his life and will be remembered for his dedicated service to our country and the notable legacy he left behind.
To honor the memory of Colonel Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. and his service to our country, I hereby direct the flag of the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford, Florida, the City Hall of Altamonte Springs, Florida, and at the State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, from sunrise to sunset on Saturday, January 28, 2023.
