Richmond Medal of Honor winner under fire from homeowners' association (Hampton: HOA, townhome)

[D train outta nowhere]

I'm from Hampton Roads.

Did anyone else come across this story in national news today?

Decorated Veteran, 90, Fights to Raise Flag in His Yard - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

The story is of Col. Barfoot, age 90, one of the highest decorated veterans alive and patriot of three wars.

"Col. Van T. Barfoot, 90, has raised the Stars and Stripes every day at sunrise and lowered them every day at sunset since he served in the U.S. Army. But on Tuesday he received a letter from the law firm that represents his homeowners' association (HOA), ordering him to remove the flagpole from his Richmond, Va. yard by 5 p.m. on Friday or face "legal action."

I don't know if the colonel would appreciate us showing our support in such a manner, but I for one would be willing to observe colors one evening from the street and rally to the cause. I'd like to ask if anyone has deeper insight into what kind of support the colonel has received.

These post-modern times are troubling. There are so many things you can shake your head at, it'd be apt to fall off. I can't understand these iconoclast cretins running around.

"Oh, but the HOA has ruuuules!" you say. To me, anyone that wants to take this venerable warrior to task for such a thing as flag raising is a treasonous coward.

[mrstewart]

An absolutely ridiculous story! How pitiful he lives in a community in which he is unable to show his pride in the country he served...just an embarrassment.

[richmondpics]

If you're curious about his Medal of Honor... from his Wikipedia page -

"Second Lieutenant Barfoot's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

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 machinegun 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 machinegun emplacement, and with his tommygun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers. Members of another enemy machinegun 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 fieldpiece 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 pointblank fire are a perpetual inspiration to his fellow soldiers."

[htlong]

rulz is rulz...........if it werent for him and people like him the hoa would be hanging out nazi orders of where when they could live!
I hope these snobby hoa back off this living super hero!
hoa are thankless snobs that say rulz is rulz.........God Bless America and Col.Barfoot!!!!

[GeorgiaTransplant]

Originally Posted by htlong

rulz is rulz...........if it werent for him and people like him the hoa would be hanging out nazi orders of where when they could live!
I hope these snobby hoa back off this living super hero!
hoa are thankless snobs that say rulz is rulz.........God Bless America and Col.Barfoot!!!!

Godwin's law...

[blu_monk]

It's not about the American flag.

The guy installed a 21 foot flag pole after the HOA said no.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by blu_monk

It's not about the American flag.

The guy installed a 21 foot flag pole after the HOA said no.

I'm going to have to agree. We live in Wyndham and can't have a flag pole. There was a legal battle here after someone put one up and it was a big deal. Choose to live in an HOA, then you need to live by it's rules. Just because he's 90 and a decorated veteran, doesn't mean he can do whatever he wants and not follow HOA rules. If he didn't want to abide by them, there are plenty of homes to live in in this area w/out HOAs.

ETA: Before the anti-HOA crowd chimes in, nobody forces people at gun point to live in them. Some of us choose to live in these types of neighborhoods because we like what the HOA offers (sidewalks, pools, common area maintenance and protection from neighbors doing anything that may seriously devalue our property).

[blu_monk]

It doesn't matter what flag is on the pole. He asks for permission to put up a flag pole, the HOA said no, he did it anyways thinking he has immunity because he's a) old, b) war vet, and/or c) he does whatever he wants and doesn't care.

If you start bending the rules for this guy, anyone who is old and a war vet can do anything they want? This will open up so many HOA cases. The HOA is doing the right thing. The old guy, or whoever is taking care of him, should have looked into this before they moved to this specific area. You can't just put up a big flag pole anywhere you wish, even if it has the best flag in the world on it.

[sls76]

Decorated Veteran, 90, Fights to Raise Flag in His Yard - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

The last sentence of this sums up the problem, IMO:

"He thinks that if it's on his property they can't tell him what to do." That was what his daughter said. Did no one explain to this man what it meant to live in a townhome in an HOA? Sad situation, but it's unreasonable to expect to move into a suburban townhome in an HOA and put up a 21' flag pole and if that was a requirement for him living there, he should have approached the HOA before purchasing.

[waldo]

Read what he did to get the Medal of Honor and tell me an exception shouldn't be made. Just say that all MOH winners are exempt. It's not as if there are a lot of them still around that want to move in that neighborhood. I understand that he should have read the covenants but c'mon, he's 90 years old. I'd give to his defense fund or something else to find him another home. Again, read what he did...it's not ordinary.