Henrico Medal of Honor winner, 90, ordered to remove flagpole

Richmond Times Dispatch ^ | 12/02/2009 | Staff Reports

[Restore America]

Col. Van T. Barfoot, one of the country's last-surviving Medal of Honor winners, is under the gun from his Henrico County community's homeowner association. In a five-paragraph letter to Barfoot that he received yesterday, Barfoot is being ordered to remove a flagpole from his yard.

[Restore America]

Col. Van T. Barfoot, one of the country's last-surviving Medal of Honor winners, is under the gun from his Henrico County community's homeowner association. In a five-paragraph letter to Barfoot that he received yesterday, Barfoot is being ordered to remove a flagpole from his yard. The decorated veteran of three wars, now 90 years old, raises the American flag every morning on the pole, then lowers and folds the flag at dusk each day in a three-corner military fashion. In a priority mail letter, the Coates & Davenport law firm in Richmond is ordering Barfoot to remove the pole by 5 p.m. Friday or face "legal action being brought to enforce the Covenants and Restrictions against you." The letter states that Barfoot will be subject to paying all legal fees and costs in any successful legal proceeding pursued by the homeowner association's board. Barfoot lives in the Sussex Square community in far western Henrico; its board of directors rejected a plea from Barfoot in July to approve the pole, disallowing the fixture on aesthetic grounds. There is no provision in the community's rules expressly forbidding flagpoles, Barfoot's daughter said. But she said the board ruled against her father's fixture and ordered it removed in July, deciding that free-standing flag poles are not aesthetically appropriate. Short flag stands attached to porches dot the community. "Dad sort of feels like this is the end," said Margaret Nicholls, Barfoot's daughter, who lives a few doors away. But she said this morning that she and her husband are attempting to generate support for her father's cause, a flag-raising rite that he has undertaken for most of his life. Barfoot received the Medal of Honor on the battlefield during World War II in Italy and fought as well in the Korean and Vietnam wars. A portion of a highway in rural Mississippi, his native state, was named in his honor this fall. A building at McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond also carries his name. Barfoot began regularly flying the flag on Veteran's Day this year despite the Sussex Square board's decision. He said in November that not flying the flag would be a sacrilege to him. "There's never been a day in my life or a place I've lived in my life that you couldn't fly the American flag," he said.

[steve-b]

its board of directors rejected a plea from Barfoot in July to approve the pole, disallowing the fixture on aesthetic grounds

Director faced with the sight of Old Glory: "It burrrnnnnss!! It burrrrrnnnnnssssss usssss!!"

[VA_Gentleman]

Keep fighting Mr. Barfoot.

Sincerely,
Your neighbor

[Fred Hayek]

“There is no provision in the community’s rules expressly forbidding flagpoles, Barfoot’s daughter said. But she said the board ruled against her father’s fixture and ordered it removed in July, deciding that free-standing flag poles are not aesthetically appropriate. “

So the board of busybodies could just pull rules from some nether region.

[NMEwithin]

Absolutely shameful...

[Jewbacca]

“Barfoot received the Medal of Honor on the battlefield during World War II in Italy and fought as well in the Korean and Vietnam wars.”

Impressive

[Kartographer]

He should build a minaret and then fly the flag from that! ;-)

[smokingfrog]

Tell ‘em to pound sand Mr. Barfoot.

I'm willing to bet that thousands of real Americans would be willing to contribute to a legal defence fund if you were to set one up. I sure would.

[UCANSEE2]

Wonder how many of the board members have statuettes in their yard?

[DieHard the Hunter]

I say "roll your dice", lawyer up, and let 'em go to court. If there is nothing in the covenant forbidding free-standing flagpoles then there is a chance the courts might find in his favor. And the negative publicity will do the homeowner's association no good at all, even if he loses.

At 90 years of age this is probably the last battle he can fight for Old Glory. Better still if he can find a patriotic lawyer to take his case pro bono.

[catman67]

If the HOA ‘s rules did not prohibit it and the HOA ruled against it after it was already installed; then it is an ex pose facto ruling and should not stand up in court.

My HOA did it to a coouple of our homeowners who had painted their decks.

Ever since, I have always felt like there should be a HOA season, just like deer season, but without a limit!

[joe fonebone]

The HOA rules are a legal document. If there is no restriction on a flagpole, then I would tell them to go pound sand. If they take legal action, immediately file a countersuit for every damn stupid thing you can come up with, and stick it to ‘em.... he sounds like someone willing to fight fire with fire...

[smokingfrog]

Freeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Van Thomas Barfoot ~ 10 August 09

[Michael.SF.]

Even at age 90, my money is on the Colonel to stand up to a lousy board of directors. Any man that stands down three tanks, is one hell of a tough SOB:

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.[4]

[wastedyears]

If I lived near this man, I’d give him my full support in a physical presence.

[Venturer]

There are not enough raw adjectuives to describe a low life sorry piece of excrement who would order any Medal of Honor winner not to fly his flag ,no matter what he wishes to use as a flagpole.

[Freedom4US]

Put me down for 500... Somebody needs to organize something.

These clowns are delusional, and they don’t realize that this kind of nonsense won’t cut it anymore. Things have changed, it’s gonna be fun to watch! Hooah.

[from occupied ga]

So the board of busybodies could just pull rules from some nether region.

Such is the nature of homeowners' associations

[SZonian]

Just a little something that seems to always grate on me.

Why do “journalists” insist on staying with the premise that MoH awardees are/were in some type of competition by “winning” one?

They EARN them and are AWARDED them.

Other than that, stand true Mr. Barfoot.

SZ

[Skooz]

Securing a bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancing Mark VI tanks.

Good gravy, that's baddass.