Marine Vet Who's Flown an American Flag in His Front Yard for 15 Years Wakes Up to a Sad Sight: 'How Can They Do That?

Marine Corps veteran Loren Vincent has been flying an American flag in his northern California front yard for the last 15 years.

Image source: KMAX-TV

But earlier this week, Vincent said he got up as usual, went outside his Turlock home and then made a sad discovery.

“I looked out Monday morning, got my newspaper and saw the flag wasn’t here," he told KMAX-TV. "I thought maybe it blew away.”

Image source: KMAX-TV

Seconds later, Vincent said he located his flag — burned to pieces and melted into his driveway.

Image source: KMAX-TV

“How can they do that?" he asked. "We served. We fought for that flag, and men are dying for that flag."

Vicent's flag was displayed on a special flagpole — a dual-design job by his Air Force veteran neighbor Joe Nance, KMAX said.

“It represents three different families,” Nance told the station. “The eagle on top represents Loren’s brother-in-law, who was in the Navy in World War II."

Image source: KMAX-TV

USMC represents the Marine Corps, which is Loren," he continued. "And then on the back of the flag pole it says ‘Dad 313965’ — that represents my dad’s serial number in World War II.”

Once Nance learned what happened to Vincent's flag, he went out and purchased a new one for his neighbor, which now flies at the top of the pole.

Image source: KMAX-TV

"There's not a flagpole anywhere like that one," Vincent told the station, his voice breaking on camera.

While Vincent filed a police report, Turlock police told KMAX there have been no other reports of flag vandalism or indications someone was sending a message to the vet.

“They have the right to buy a flag and burn it,” Vincent told the station. “They don’t have the right to come onto my property and take it down and burn it.”

Nance agreed.

“It’s not just a veteran, because we’re no better than anybody else," Nance told KMAX. "Any red-blooded American would feel the same way: We would fight for that flag and die for it.”

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