passing this on its a good read

[painterman67]

May You Rest In Peace!

VanT. Barfoot

died at the age of 92 on 2 March 2012.

 

 

Remember the guy who wouldn't take the flag down?

 

You might remember a news story several months ago

about a crotchety old man who defied his homeowners association

and refused to take down the flagpole on his property

and the large flag that flew on it.

 

Now you can find out who, exactly, that old man was.

 

On June 15, 1919,

Van T. Barfoot was born in Edinburg

-- probably didn't make much news back then.

 

 

Twenty-five years later, on May 23, 1944,

nearCarano, Italy, Van T. Barfoot,

who had enlisted in the US Army in 1940,

set out to flank German machine gun positions

from which fire was coming down on his fellow soldiers.

 

He advanced through a minefield,

took out three enemy machine gun positions

and returned with 17 prisoners of war.

 

If that wasn't enough for a day's work, he later took on

 

and destroyed

three German tanks sent to retake the machine gun positions.

 

 

That probably didn't make much news either,

given the scope of the war,

 

but it did earn Van T. Barfoot,

who retired as a Colonel

after also serving in Korea and Vietnam,

a Congressional Medal of Honor.

 

 

 

What did make news

 

was a neighborhood association's quibble

with how the 90-year-old veteran

chose to fly the American flag

outside his suburban Virginia home.

 

Seems the rules said a flag could be flown

on a house-mounted bracket, but, for decorum,

items such as Barfoot's 21-foot flagpole

were unsuitable.

 

He had been denied a permit for the pole,

erected it anyway and was facing court action

if he didn't take it down.

 

Since the story made national TV,

the neighborhood association has rethought its position

and agreed to indulge this old hero who dwells among them.

 

"In the time I have left I plan to continue to fly the American flag

withoutinterferenceBarfoot told The Associated Press.

 

As well he should

 

And if any of his neighbors still takes a notion to contest him, they

might want to read his Medal of Honor citation.

It indicates he's not real good at backing down.

 

Van T. Barfoot's Medal of Honor citation:

 

 

This 1944 Medal of Honor citation,

listed with the National Medal of Honor Society

is for Second Lieutenant Van T. Barfoot,

157th Infantry, 45th Infantry

 

 

If you got this email and didn't pass it on

 

- guess what -

you deserve to get your butt kicked!

 

WE ONLY LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE…

BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!

AND,

BECAUSE OF OLD MEN LIKE

VAN BARFOOT!

 

 

Obviously he is not related to anybody in congress

Edited May 25, 2012 by painterman67

[warriorhoneybee]

very nice read

[Aussie Annie]

Hoo Rah!! You bloody wonderful old geezer. thank you for your service, and bravery.... and for standing up for what you fought for

[Eck]

I remember watching this on the news..a very interesting story behind it all.

[Yammer Dan]

I sat in Vetran's Clinic not long ago and thought... Trouble??? Just reissue these old men some rifles and turn them loose on them. Problem Solved!! It would save a bunch of money not having to keep some of them thru old age and most would jump at the chance to go. When my youngest son became a US Marine I was so proud and so scared of what he might have to face that I would have been very willing to take his place.

 

OK on to regular program!!:rotfl: