Decorated World War II vet who later fought for right to fly U.S. flag at home in Va. dies at 92
By Associated Press, Published: March 3
RICHMOND, Va. — A World War II Medal of Honor winner who later made headlines for his fight to fly an American flag in his Virginia front yard, has died. Retired Army Col. Van Thomas Barfoot was 92.
Barfoot gained national attention in 2009 when he fought to keep his 21-foot flagpole at his Henrico County home after the homeowners association ordered it removed and threatened to sue him.
The White House even entered the fray, with a spokesman for President Barack Obama calling it “silly” not to allow Barfoot to fly the flag.
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Showing posts with label flag lowering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flag lowering. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Kentucky new policy on lowering of flags "ridiculous"
New Ky. policy on lowering flags raises ire
By Joe Biesk - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 23, 2008 20:28:53 EDT
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky has started lowering flags to half-staff only for fallen service members from the Bluegrass State, upsetting veterans and lawmakers who say the policy dishonors tens of thousands of service members from other states stationed at installations such as Fort Campbell and Fort Knox.
Gov. Steve Beshear last month changed the old policy of lowering state and U.S. flags to half-staff from the announcement of any Kentucky-based soldier’s death until his or her funeral. Now the flag will be lowered only for Kentucky natives and even then only on the day they are buried.
Maj. Gen. Edward Tonini, Kentucky’s adjutant general, said the previous policy made it impossible to tell who was being honored and led to lengthy stretches where flags were lowered for multiple people. Between April 1 and July 2, the state lowered flags for 26 soldiers, only four from Kentucky.
“At one period in time, the flag was at half-staff for about a month consecutively,” Tonini said. “And, who was that for? You just don’t know.”
Ken Hart, state adjutant for the American Legion of Kentucky, which represents 33,000 veterans, called the new policy ridiculous.
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By Joe Biesk - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 23, 2008 20:28:53 EDT
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky has started lowering flags to half-staff only for fallen service members from the Bluegrass State, upsetting veterans and lawmakers who say the policy dishonors tens of thousands of service members from other states stationed at installations such as Fort Campbell and Fort Knox.
Gov. Steve Beshear last month changed the old policy of lowering state and U.S. flags to half-staff from the announcement of any Kentucky-based soldier’s death until his or her funeral. Now the flag will be lowered only for Kentucky natives and even then only on the day they are buried.
Maj. Gen. Edward Tonini, Kentucky’s adjutant general, said the previous policy made it impossible to tell who was being honored and led to lengthy stretches where flags were lowered for multiple people. Between April 1 and July 2, the state lowered flags for 26 soldiers, only four from Kentucky.
“At one period in time, the flag was at half-staff for about a month consecutively,” Tonini said. “And, who was that for? You just don’t know.”
Ken Hart, state adjutant for the American Legion of Kentucky, which represents 33,000 veterans, called the new policy ridiculous.
go here for more
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