thedrifter
07-07-05, 06:24 PM
POW, military flags disappear
Sunday, July 3, 2005
By Steve Moyer
Nevada Herald
"I just don't understand it," Jason Claspill, Evergreen Memorial Chapel said. "If they had just asked we would have helped them get one cheap or even given them one if it were for a good enough reason."
Claspill was talking about the flags stolen from the row of flag poles on the north side of the chapel. "We fly the flags to honor veterans during the memorial services for them and I have just been leaving them up to honor those serving our country now," Claspill said. "I came into work the other day and saw the flags missing, I just couldn't believe it."
The row of service flags included one each for the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force along with a POW/MIA flag. Stolen were the Air Force and POW flags, the westernmost flags in the row.
Claspill said he wondered why someone who held the flags in high esteem would steal them. "You would think that anyone who thought highly of the flags would be the last ones to steal them. It just goes against what they stand for," Claspill said.
Judy Knowles, locally known as "the flag lady," has also had flags stolen, and bunting was stolen from a display she puts up every year on Austin Boulevard in honor of area veterans.
"Especially when it's the POW flags I think it's desecration," Knowles said. "I'm mad and I'm staying mad."
Knowles said that she's been doing the avenue of flags for eight years and has averaged two flags stolen each year.
"We lose flags every year," Knowles said. "This is the second time I've had the POW/MIA bunting on the bridge stolen. I chained it and locked it and put wire ties on it, I spent a lot of time making sure that it would stay put and someone came along and stole it."
Knowles and Claspill share the same feelings when it comes to the flags honoring the prisoners of war and missing in action service members.
"They've done so much for our country and it's not too much to ask that people at least leave the flags alone," Knowles said.
Knowles said that Stacey Meyers had donated $100 to replace the missing bunting.
"I'm going to see if I can get the bunting and an Air Force flag for the $100," Knowles said. "I appreciate the generosity of people like Stacey who help me out."
Knowles said the flags she puts out should remain up until November when they would be taken down after Veterans' Day.
"They'll stay up until then unless the weather gets too bad," Knowles said. "Last year I took all the flags down when there were more in my house than up on the flag poles. That year it was Mother Nature 1, Flag Lady zip."
Ellie
:mad:
Sunday, July 3, 2005
By Steve Moyer
Nevada Herald
"I just don't understand it," Jason Claspill, Evergreen Memorial Chapel said. "If they had just asked we would have helped them get one cheap or even given them one if it were for a good enough reason."
Claspill was talking about the flags stolen from the row of flag poles on the north side of the chapel. "We fly the flags to honor veterans during the memorial services for them and I have just been leaving them up to honor those serving our country now," Claspill said. "I came into work the other day and saw the flags missing, I just couldn't believe it."
The row of service flags included one each for the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force along with a POW/MIA flag. Stolen were the Air Force and POW flags, the westernmost flags in the row.
Claspill said he wondered why someone who held the flags in high esteem would steal them. "You would think that anyone who thought highly of the flags would be the last ones to steal them. It just goes against what they stand for," Claspill said.
Judy Knowles, locally known as "the flag lady," has also had flags stolen, and bunting was stolen from a display she puts up every year on Austin Boulevard in honor of area veterans.
"Especially when it's the POW flags I think it's desecration," Knowles said. "I'm mad and I'm staying mad."
Knowles said that she's been doing the avenue of flags for eight years and has averaged two flags stolen each year.
"We lose flags every year," Knowles said. "This is the second time I've had the POW/MIA bunting on the bridge stolen. I chained it and locked it and put wire ties on it, I spent a lot of time making sure that it would stay put and someone came along and stole it."
Knowles and Claspill share the same feelings when it comes to the flags honoring the prisoners of war and missing in action service members.
"They've done so much for our country and it's not too much to ask that people at least leave the flags alone," Knowles said.
Knowles said that Stacey Meyers had donated $100 to replace the missing bunting.
"I'm going to see if I can get the bunting and an Air Force flag for the $100," Knowles said. "I appreciate the generosity of people like Stacey who help me out."
Knowles said the flags she puts out should remain up until November when they would be taken down after Veterans' Day.
"They'll stay up until then unless the weather gets too bad," Knowles said. "Last year I took all the flags down when there were more in my house than up on the flag poles. That year it was Mother Nature 1, Flag Lady zip."
Ellie
:mad: