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Old 15 August 2018, 19:58
Stretch Stretch is online now
The atomic zit
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Capital of the Old North State
Posts: 6,605
My father sent me this today:

“Fwd: Van T Barfoot
From: Yuri xxx@xxx.com>
Sent: 3:11pm, Wednesday, August 15, 2018
To:
CC:


Van T Barfoot died...
read on....

Yes! Remember the Guy who wouldn't take The flag pole Down
on his Virginia Property a While back?

You might Remember the news story several
Months ago About a crotchety old man in
Virginia who Defied his local Homeowners Association,
And refused to take down the Flag pole on
His property along with the large American flag He flew on it.

Now we learn Who that old man was.
On June 15, 1919, Van T. Barfoot was born in Edinburg, Texas.

That probably didn't make News back Then.

But

Twentyfive years later, on May 23, 1944, Near
Carano , Italy,
That same Van T. Barfoot, Who had in 1940 enlisted in the U.S. Army,
Set Out alone to Flank German machine gun Positions
From which gunfire was raining Down on his Fellow soldiers.

His advance Took him through a minefield but
Having done So, he proceeded to single-handedly Take out
Three enemy machine gun positions, Returning With 17 prisoners of war.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ix-lSLEY2...s1600/van1.jpg

And if that Weren't enough for a day's work, he Later
Took on and Destroyed three German tanks Sent to
Retake the machine gun positions.
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pIEZMB_O8...s1600/van2.jpg
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 well Deserved
Congressional Medal of Honor.
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jn1BzMfwH...s1600/van3.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_UOXTdiTZ...s1600/van4.jpg
What did make News...Was his Neighborhood
Association's Quibble with how the 90-year-old
Veteran chose To fly the American flag outside
His suburban Virginia home.

Seems the HOA rules
Said it was OK to fly a flag on a house-mounted
Bracket, but, For decorum, items such as
Barfoot's 21-foot Flagpole were "unsuitable".
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D7VpjwqT3...s1600/van6.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vYCN6U7dr...s1600/van5.jpg
Van Barfoot Had been denied a permit for
The pole, but Erected it anyway and was facing
Court action Unless he agreed to take it down.
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yKj9yx-_-...s1600/van8.jpg
Then the HOA Story made national TV,
And the Neighborhood Association rethought
Its position And agreed to indulge this
Aging hero Who dwelt among them.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzKKCNFF-...s1600/van9.jpg
"In the Time I have left", he said to the
Associated Press, "I plan to continue
To fly the American flag without interference."
As Well he should.

And if any of his neighbors had taken a Notion to
Contest him Further, they might have done well to
Read his Medal of Honor citation first.

Seems it
Indicates Mr. Van Barfoot wasn't
Particularly Good at Backing down.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vBe5N9w9f...1600/van10.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_6CaWge2v...1600/van11.jpg
If you got This email and didn't pass it on -

Guess what? - You need your butt kicked
I sent this To you, because I didn't want MY butt kicked!


WE ONLY LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE GUTS
OF THE BRAVE!

AND, BECAUSE OF “GUTTY” OLD MEN
LIKE VAN BARFOOT!”

This is the first I’ve heard of the Colonel.

The pictures included may not translate.

Thank you for your service Colonel Barfoot.

Last edited by Stretch; 15 August 2018 at 20:07. Reason: Will add pictures and comments later. v/r s
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