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Several times per year I hear or read about destruction or left to a war memorial. Even though Canada seems to be safe from this sort of thing, Europe and the United States are not. Is nothing sacred anymore?
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Plaques Stolen from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6919
BY TISHA THOMPSON/myfoxdc
MORNINGSIDE, Md. - For decades, the war memorial in front of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6919 in Morningside, MD stood as a testament to bravery.
But then, on a cold January night, someone stole eight of the memorial’s bronze plaques…and nearly 100 years of history.
“It’s heartbreaking to have this happen to us,” says Post Commander James Holland. “I’m angry because it happened. Not knowing if we’re going to get them back. So the anger just builds up. More and more and more.”
With his finger, Holland traces the large, square outlines where the plaques used to hang on a concrete wall in front of the Post. Three of the plaques bore the faces and names of the soldiers for whom the Post was named after. Five other plaques, weighing about 120 pounds each, listed the names of the deceased veterans who belonged to the Post, a list that dated back to World War I.
Holland says the Post does not have the estimated $65,000 needed to replace the plaques.
But the real theft, he says, is the names because the plaques were the only record the Post had of its deceased veterans.
“It’s not about the money,” says Post Quartermaster Thomas Pappas. “We want to recover the names. There are about 500 names or so that’s missing.”
Robert Holdforth knows at least one of the names. His father, William Holdforth, was listed on one of the stolen plaques.
“He joined the Navy in 1941 and was a member of this Post a long time,” Holdforth says. “He’d be torn apart about this.”
Holdforth became visibly upset while talking about the plaques. “I don’t know how much money these guys are going to make stealing this stuff but its nothing compared to what its worth to us,” he says. “It’s more valuable to my family. It represents my father. It’s a link to keep him around. It was something you could touch and know that he was part of this.”
Commander Holland says he hopes scrap yards will recognize what the plaques are and refuse to buy them. Instead, he wants the thieves to return the plaques or call the VFW Post to tell them where they can be located, no questions asked.
In the meantime, Holland says they are now going to store the five remaining plaques and a bronze VFW logo inside the Post.
He says the barren concrete wall outside the Post is no longer a memorial to the worthy and brave. “It represents theft. Disgrace. Somebody just decimated our memorial so we’re just going to use this as a symbol of what has happened in the world today.”
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Plaques Stolen from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6919
BY TISHA THOMPSON/myfoxdc
MORNINGSIDE, Md. - For decades, the war memorial in front of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6919 in Morningside, MD stood as a testament to bravery.
But then, on a cold January night, someone stole eight of the memorial’s bronze plaques…and nearly 100 years of history.
“It’s heartbreaking to have this happen to us,” says Post Commander James Holland. “I’m angry because it happened. Not knowing if we’re going to get them back. So the anger just builds up. More and more and more.”
With his finger, Holland traces the large, square outlines where the plaques used to hang on a concrete wall in front of the Post. Three of the plaques bore the faces and names of the soldiers for whom the Post was named after. Five other plaques, weighing about 120 pounds each, listed the names of the deceased veterans who belonged to the Post, a list that dated back to World War I.
Holland says the Post does not have the estimated $65,000 needed to replace the plaques.
But the real theft, he says, is the names because the plaques were the only record the Post had of its deceased veterans.
“It’s not about the money,” says Post Quartermaster Thomas Pappas. “We want to recover the names. There are about 500 names or so that’s missing.”
Robert Holdforth knows at least one of the names. His father, William Holdforth, was listed on one of the stolen plaques.
“He joined the Navy in 1941 and was a member of this Post a long time,” Holdforth says. “He’d be torn apart about this.”
Holdforth became visibly upset while talking about the plaques. “I don’t know how much money these guys are going to make stealing this stuff but its nothing compared to what its worth to us,” he says. “It’s more valuable to my family. It represents my father. It’s a link to keep him around. It was something you could touch and know that he was part of this.”
Commander Holland says he hopes scrap yards will recognize what the plaques are and refuse to buy them. Instead, he wants the thieves to return the plaques or call the VFW Post to tell them where they can be located, no questions asked.
In the meantime, Holland says they are now going to store the five remaining plaques and a bronze VFW logo inside the Post.
He says the barren concrete wall outside the Post is no longer a memorial to the worthy and brave. “It represents theft. Disgrace. Somebody just decimated our memorial so we’re just going to use this as a symbol of what has happened in the world today.”
