Marine Vet Notices U.S. Flag in a State of Disrepair. When He Asked Officials to Fix It, He Says Something Shameful Happened.

Raymond Rivera, a Marine Corps veteran who lives in New York City, noticed late last year that the American flag flying on public property outside his apartment complex was in a sorry state of disrepair -- so he decided to do something about it.

"It was torn to shreds," Rivera told TheBlaze."The stars were on the side... it was torn and it was flying in a way it shouldn't fly."

Rivera says he first tried to contact New York City, but nothing happened so he next turned to the press, reaching out to award-winning DNAInfo reporter Murray Weiss.

The city replaced the flag due to the impending article, says Rivera, but when he walked outside to review the new flag he was stunned to see city workers had hung it upside down.

"Before the article went out they put the flag up and I was happy," said Rivera. "As I go closer it was placed upside down and its not supposed to fly upside down.

According to the the official flag code an American flag should only be flown upside down "as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."

Once again, Rivera says he turned to Weiss and the city once fixed the flag, flying it right-side up this time.

But Rivera says the flag that flies today is still not properly displayed. It is not lit at night because officials consider light spill from street lamps far below to be sufficient illumination, Rivera said.

"I think that's B.S.," Rivera added.. "We didnt have the Marine Corps."

In addition, the current flag flies precariously about a third of the way down the staff. The line which holds it up has torn fragments from previous flags stuck to it.

Again, according to the code, torn or soiled flags are to be retired in a "dignified way."

"The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning," says the code.

NYC Housing Authority officials who maintain the land where the flag is situated did not return comment to TheBlaze.

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