WWII Vet and Medal of Honor not enough to fly flag his way

Medal of Honor recipient draws support in fight for flagpole
By Bill Mckelway
Published: December 3, 2009
RICHMOND, Va. -- A flood of help is building for an embattled Medal of Honor winner in Henrico County who was ordered this week to remove a flagpole from his yard by his community's homeowners association.

From the halls of Congress to the 90-year-old colonel's old infantry unit, a local law firm and scores of service members, help is making its way to Col. Van T. Barfoot.

"He said he was outraged and wanted to help," Barfoot's daughter said yesterday, speaking of U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., who learned of Barfoot's plight on TimesDispatch.com yesterday.

In a five-paragraph letter that he received Tuesday, Barfoot was ordered to remove the flagpole from his yard in the Sussex Square community in far western Henrico County. The decorated veteran of three wars raises the American flag every morning on the pole, then lowers and folds the flag at dusk in a three-corner military fashion.
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Medal of Honor recipient draws support in fight for flagpole


Stars and stripes
Col. Van T. Barfoot, the 90-year-old Medal of Honor recipient who refuses to remove his flagpole from his property, speaks out on what the flag means to him.

The man had a highway named after him but can't fly a flag his way at this stage of his life. What's it going to hurt? How many other Medal of Honor heroes will they have to deal with after this if they let this one fly his flag anyway he wants?

Col. Van T. Barfoot Memorial Highway Dedication
Host: Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall
Type: Other - Ceremony
Network: Global
Date: Friday, October 9, 2009
Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm
Location: The Big Horn Restaurant
Street: Highway 16 East
City/Town: Carthage, MS
Please join us for the Col. Van T. Barfoot Medal of Honor Memorial Highway Dedication Ceremony at the Big Horn Restaurant in Carthage, MS.

We will be honoring an American Hero, Col. Van T. Barfoot (Ret.), and dedicating the section of Hwy 16 from MS 35 to the Neshoba County line.

A dutch treat lunch will follow the ceremony.


MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION:

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 tommy gun. 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.
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