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On Today's Show I Read the story about reporters harassing Vice
President Cheney's hosts at a hunting lodge over their display of a
Rebel Flag. I told you of how most Southern Boys and gals are just as
proud of THEIR War for Southern Independence Ancestors as Yankees are
and that the UNION SOLDIERS wrote of their hatred of having to kill the
Southerners as they viewed them as neighbors and countrymen.
Tonight
I received an e-mail from Sgt. Robert Ditmore, offering to send me his
Rebel Flag which he proudly flew over his CHU (barracks) while deployed
in Iraq. I am publishing the Sgt's letter here and have struck some
names to protect their identities. I can't wait to get my flag and am
more honored than words can express by the Sgt's actions AND his
service to our country. Is this a GREAT Country or What!?
Dear Mr. Church;
I was listening to you on Tuesday and you made the statement that you did not have a Confederate Battle flag but if someone would send you one, you would hang it in your garage. Well, here’s a flag for you. I apologize for the condition it is in, but it has a little history behind it I thought you might appreciate.
My unit was stationed at FOB Cobra Iraq. We were a very small FOB and you could walk across it in less than 5 minutes. We lived in CHUs which look similar to shipping containers with windows. Around each CHU sandbags were stacked about 6 or 7 high to minimize damage should a mortar round land in the vicinity. We received mortar rounds about 2 to 3 times a week, usually at night.
I flew this flag from a pole that I had arranged at my CHU. No one in my company had a problem with it and in fact enjoyed seeing it there. Everyone in the company knew that I am no racist and that this flag stood not as a reminder of slavery but as a reminder of the sacrifices that my ancestors made during that horrible time in our history.
Upon returning from patrol one evening I found that my flag was gone. No one knew who had taken it as we were all outside the wire at the time. The following day a soldier from another company found me and told me what had happened.
A Colonel Xxxxxxxx, who was attached to Charlie Med and not a part of my chain of command, decided that he didn’t like it flying there and decided to take it. He crawled up on top of my CHU and cut the flag down and took it back to Charlie med with him. Upon his return he told a couple of his troops what he had done and declared that he now had his “war trophy.” His two troops, who happened to be black, informed him that this now made him a thief. E-4s telling a Colonel that he was a thief.
I went to my 1st SGT and explained to him what had taken place. He blew his stack and went to the CO who was not thrilled at all with another officer coming into his AO unannounced and stealing my property. The CO went to Squadron at which time my 1st SGT became involved in a very heated discussion with a Major over the issue.
To make a long story short, the Colonel ended up being charged with “theft of property “and was going to be court marshaled. This caused the heated discussions between my 1st SGT and several officers to continue at which time my CO came to me and asked if I would consider dropping charges before my 1st SGT got in trouble. The CO said that he, the XO and the 1st SGT would stand with me whatever I decided. I dropped the charges under the condition that I got my flag back with an apology and that the Colonel be required to set with me for 1 hour while I explained to him why he was wrong. I got the flag but am still waiting for the apology and lecture.
As a result of this fiasco, all flags, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and New York had to come down. In addition, the US Flag had to come down, consequences that I was very upset about. I found later that the US Flag was never supposed to have been raised to begin with. A sovereignty issue with Iraq.
I am emailing you a picture of myself and my CHU mate and very good friend holding the flag that is on its way to you. Between us we are also holding a book titled, “I’ll Take My Stand.” The Colonel had claimed that he knocked and knocked on the CHU door but no one answered. He claimed he was going to have us remove this symbol of racism and slavery. We have often wished that my CHU mate had been there to answer the door. The Colonel had no idea who we were or what we looked like. I think he would have been a little stunned. As for my CHU mate, he is a Medic and made sure that the Colonel knew how upset he was over the issue as he considered it not just my flag, but “our Flag.”
Hope I haven’t bored you. Thank you for all you do for us. Rest assured that the troops appreciate and rely on you and the others on the Patriot channel.
Very Respectfully
SSG Robert H. Ditmore
Now THAT'S a hero.
One person has commented on this article. 1. Untitled
Keith Bergstresser, Registered I had a similar experience when I was stationed at Camp Lejeune back in '97. Keep up the good fight and God bless you and all who selflessly sacrifice and serve this great nation. Semper Fi
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