Flag to fly high in Iraq
CHRISTIAN BRINGHURST, cbringhurst@newsreview.info
August 30, 2005

While serving in Iraq earlier this year, Marine Lance Cpl. Kenny Swope noticed a number of troops — particularly those from Texas — flying their state flags around camp.

It occurred to the Marine that it might be nice to have an Oregon flag to fly, so he asked his parents whether they could arrange to get him one.

“Out in Iraq, a bunch of my fellow Marines out there, especially the Texans, they’d hang their Texas flags and everything,” said the 20-year-old Days Creek High School graduate.

“I just told Mom and Dad, ‘I want an Oregon flag.’”

After making a few phone calls, Ed and Fanny Swope persuaded members of the Roseburg Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2468 to get their son a flag.

“We went and bought a flag from the state,” said VFW Service Officer Walter Houck of Roseburg. “This flag has been flown over the statehouse, and that makes it a little bit more meaningful.”

The flag was presented to Swope, who is home on leave from his Marine base at Twentynine Palms, Calif., at a small ceremony at the VFW last Friday. He intends to take it with him when he returns to Iraq next year.


• You can reach reporter Christian Bringhurst at 957-4216 or by e-mail at cbringhurst@newsreview.info

Ellie