Homeowner Asscociation Drops Lawsuit, Says 90-Year-Old WWII Hero Can Display US Flag on Flagpole
Aimee Herd : Dec 14, 2009
Chad Groening - OneNewsNow
"Where I've been, fighting wars...military installations, parades, everything else, the flag is vertical. And I've done it that way since I was in the Army."
Col. Van T. Barfoot, a 90-year-old WWII Veteran in Virginia was ordered by his homeowner's association this summer, to take down his flagpole on which he hoisted the stars and stripes every morning, taking it down in the evenings in three-corner military style.
The highly decorated hero (who doesn't refer to himself as that, but insists he was just doing his job) has flown the American flag every day, and after moving to a new home in suburban Richmond, he erected a flagpole so he could continue flying Old Glory.
But, the Sussex Square Homeowner's Association had rules against such displays, and they decided to enforce them with a lawsuit. They maintained that it is "not about the flag" but "about the flagpole," noting that smaller flags attached on an angle directly to the home were allowed.
Col. Barfoot refused to take down the flagpole. He told reporters that he has "always flown the flag from a height."
"Where I've been, fighting wars...military installations, parades, everything else, the flag is vertical. And I've done it that way since I was in the Army," he said.
Afterwards, numerous media outlets covered the controversy, and letters and emails of support poured in from Americans throughout the country. Also backing Col. Barfoot was the American Legion, several US senators and even President Barack Obama.
Finally, the homeowners association relented and dropped the lawsuit against Barfoot.
Col. Van T. Barfoot is one of the last remaining WWII Vets who received the Congressional Medal of Honor. He received it in 1944 for heroic actions when?according to a FOXNews report?he "single-handedly destroyed a set of German machine gun nests, killed eight enemy soldiers, took 17 prisoners and stared down a tank before destroying it and killing its crew, all [while managing] to move two of his wounded men 1,700 yards to safety." Barfoot served his country till 1974 during which time he also was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts.