Did you hear about the Col. in Richmond...?

[WineCountry]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaTransplant

Is it possible he could honor the flag without doing it on a 21-foot pole erected on community property? Like, a shorter pole, or an attachment to the side of his condo? I'm just, you know, asking...

^^^^ Yeah, that's what I said to myself. Does it HAVE to be on a darn 21 foot pole, or does he just want to get his way? Which apparently he did, if they decided not to push the issue.

[NJR]

Originally Posted by WineCountry

^^^^ Yeah, that's what I said to myself. Does it HAVE to be on a darn 21 foot pole, or does he just want to get his way? Which apparently he did, if they decided not to push the issue.

Taking into consideration what he did to earn the MOH, he can definitly get his way.
If not for him and others like him in WWII, we would probably be "Deutsch sprechende" right now.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by NJR

Taking into consideration what he did to earn the MOH, he can definitly get his way.
If not for him and others like him in WWII, we would probably be "Deutsch sprechende" right now.

AND? what does that have to do with a flag pole and the rules and regulations he knew about that was set forth in his community before he moved in...

[GeorgiaTransplant]

Originally Posted by NJR

Taking into consideration what he did to earn the MOH, he can definitly get his way.
If not for him and others like him in WWII, we would probably be "Deutsch sprechende" right now.

Probably, and someone would probably be saying:

Sie können die deutsche Markierungsfahne nicht anheben, die Höhe. Sie unterzeichneten eine Vereinbarung, dass Sie wussten, dass Sie konnten, nicht als Sie hier umzogen. Was Sie für das Vaterland getan haben, da der große Krieg nicht jene Richtlinien ändert.

(I don't speak German, but Babelfish does!)

[NJR]

Originally Posted by rtandc

AND? what does that have to do with a flag pole and the rules and regulations he knew about that was set forth in his community before he moved in...

AND? You say that with such a tone of unimportance.

Originally Posted by GeorgiaTransplant

Probably, and someone would probably be saying:

Sie können die deutsche Markierungsfahne nicht anheben, die Höhe. Sie unterzeichneten eine Vereinbarung, dass Sie wussten, dass Sie konnten, nicht als Sie hier umzogen. Was Sie für das Vaterland getan haben, da der große Krieg nicht jene Richtlinien ändert.

(I don't speak German, but Babelfish does!)

I hear what you are saying, but you can't tell me you read your entire HOA before you closed & moved in. Most people don't. And to be honest some of the rules are ridiculous and should be challenged.

In any case, it appears to some that Col. Barfoot's contribution was insignificant and he should not have any special benefits.
You would think that the very least we can do is show our gratitude and thanks to somebody that served our country so admirably.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by NJR

AND? You say that with such a tone of unimportance.



I hear what you are saying, but you can't tell me you read your entire HOA before you closed & moved in. Most people don't. And to be honest some of the rules are ridiculous and should be challenged.

In any case, it appears to some that Col. Barfoot's contribution was insignificant and he should not have any special benefits.
You would think that the very least we can do is show our gratitude and thanks to somebody that served our country so admirably.

No he is not special...sure I am grateful for what he did for our country but that does not make him above the laws and rules set forth for everyone to follow....that is a big problem we have today in that many people think they are special and that the rules dont apply to them...

You dont read the rules and regulations that is your own fault not mine.....dont go blaming someone else for your own stupidy.....Sure if you want to challenge the rules or laws set in place please go right ahead that is everyones right...but do it in a court of law not in the press which seems to be so popular today

[NJR]

Originally Posted by rtandc

No he is not special...sure I am grateful for what he did for our country but that does not make him above the laws and rules set forth for everyone to follow....that is a big problem we have today in that many people think they are special and that the rules dont apply to them...

Well then I guess we disagree. He IS special. Hell, I feel he have been exempt from paying income tax for life for what he's done.

Originally Posted by rtandc

You dont read the rules and regulations that is your own fault not mine.....dont go blaming someone else for your own stupidy.....Sure if you want to challenge the rules or laws set in place please go right ahead that is everyones right...but do it in a court of law not in the press which seems to be so popular today

I avoid the whole HOA b.s. by not buying a property with an association. I just buy property in areas where the property values would dictate the owner will be financially able & responsible to maintain their property. I don't need to pay for someone to dictate to what I can do on my property.

[rtandc]

Originally Posted by NJR

Well then I guess we disagree. He IS special. Hell, I feel he have been exempt from paying income tax for life for what he's done.


I avoid the whole HOA b.s. by not buying a property with an association. I just buy property in areas where the property values would dictate the owner will be financially able & responsible to maintain their property. I don't need to pay for someone to dictate to what I can do on my property.

I agree HOA's are a pain but that does not change the fact that he moved into an HOA property and now does not want to play by the rules.....And now he wants to try and play the victims role when he is not one..

[D train outta nowhere]

To update, Colonel Barfoot passed away 2 MAR 2012. Found out in an e-mail, text is below. For text with images, you can read here: link



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 flagpole 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 twenty-five 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.

He 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.

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

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.

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".

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.

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.

"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.


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:


The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to

BARFOOT, VAN T.

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Carano, Italy, 23 May 1944. Entered service at: Carthage, Miss. Birth: Edinburg, Miss. G.O. No.: 79, 4 October 1944.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944, near Carano, Italy. With his platoon heavily engaged during an assault against forces well entrenched on commanding ground, 2d Lt. Barfoot (then Tech. Sgt.) moved off alone upon the enemy left flank. He crawled to the proximity of 1 machine gun nest and made a direct hit on it with a hand grenade, killing 2 and wounding 3 Germans. He continued along the German defense line to another machine gun emplacement, and with his tommy gun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers. Members of another enemy machine gun crew then abandoned their position and gave themselves up to Sgt. Barfoot. Leaving the prisoners for his support squad to pick up, he proceeded to mop up positions in the immediate area, capturing more prisoners and bringing his total count to 17. Later that day, after he had reorganized his men and consolidated the newly captured ground, the enemy launched a fierce armored counterattack directly at his platoon positions. Securing a bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancing Mark VI tanks. From a distance of 75 yards his first shot destroyed the track of the leading tank, effectively disabling it, while the other 2 changed direction toward the flank. As the crew of the disabled tank dismounted, Sgt. Barfoot killed 3 of them with his tommygun. He continued onward into enemy terrain and destroyed a recently abandoned German field piece with a demolition charge placed in the breech. While returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot, though greatly fatigued by his Herculean efforts, assisted 2 of his seriously wounded men 1,700 yards to a position of safety. Sgt. Barfoot's extraordinary heroism, demonstration of magnificent valor, and aggressive determination in the face of point blank fire are a perpetual inspiration to his fellow soldiers.