An investigation has been launched after a veterans memorial was vandalized in California, shocking locals who celebrate at the site every year. The attack came just days before D-Day.
The memorial is located in Morgan Hill, a small city near San Francisco. It’s a popular downtown gathering place, hosting services on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Early on Sunday morning, locals discovered that the US flag hanging at the site had been burned and a plaque had been defaced.
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The memorial was built by a local Vietnam War veteran, Eddie Bowers, 33 years ago as a way to honor the members of his community who had lost their lives in service.
Mr Bowers discovered the burnt remains of the flag on Sunday morning. He, along with other members of the community, quickly got to work to restore the site to its original state.
On Facebook, locals said they were “heartbroken” and “horrified” to hear the news. One person wrote: “This is absolutely disgusting! The fact that a bunch of animals did this. Not only burning our flag but defacing the memorial.
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Another wrote: “Heartbreaking. Especially for those of us who have family who have died in the military.”
A retired veteran said: “To deface this memorial in the broad open of town is bold yet cowardly. Some people are horrible and do not care about their fellow neighbors or respect each other. Keep your heads up and just continue to remember those who served. Karma will catch up to those who did this act.”
Mr Bowers told Morgan Hill Life that the only remnants of the attack were a charred rope, which the community is hoping to replace. He said of the service people the memorial is dedicated to: “These men and women go out to make a peaceful country.
“We have the American dream. Then you have people who want to go out and destroy all that. I think the real Americans are stronger than they think. We’ll rise again.”
* Original Article:
https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/flag-burned-veterans-memorial-vandalized-32969561.amp
