FARMINGTON – Veterans at the American Legion are disturbed that someone stole their American and Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flags. The 3-by 5-foot flags were taken down from the flagpole at the post home on High Street.

Robert Hallman, sergeant at arms for Roderick-Crosby Post 28, said the flags were stolen either late Friday, May 2, or early Saturday, May 3. The all-weather flags that range in price from $15 to $35 are left up during the evening hours because they’re illuminated.

“It’s disrespectful,” Hallman said.

If the person or persons really needs a flag “bad,” Hallman said, they could come to the Post at 156 High St. on the first and third Tuesday of any month and ask veterans if they could get one for them. They didn’t have to steal them, he said. Post members did not report the missing flags to police, he said. This is the second time the flags have been stolen.

“These flags are to all veterans a symbol of the sacrifices which our country has asked of our veterans in all past, present and future conflicts,” he said.

If someone took the flags with the intention of displaying them to honor their symbolic value, Hallman said, he hopes they display them with the honor they “richly” deserve. If they took them as a joke, he said, that particular joke is not at all funny to any veteran or to any honorable man of any country.

If the flags were taken with the intention of being destroyed, he said, he hopes they are destroyed in proper manner.

The post will replace the flags, he said, but asks that whoever took them come to a meeting and tell them what happened to them.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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