Purple Heart veteran’s flag stolen in theft
By Denzen Cortez
Click here for updates on this story
SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — An 85-year-old Vietnam veteran is shaken after someone stole an American flag from his Natomas front yard.
James White, a Purple Heart recipient who served more than two decades in the Army, has faced some of life’s toughest challenges, including stage 4 prostate cancer and chronic kidney disease, but says the theft still hit him hard.
White’s daughter, Daisy Hernandez, said her father has already endured enough, and the theft was especially painful because the person who took the flag had no idea whose story they were taking.
“They have no idea who that flag belonged to or the story behind the man it belonged to. It’s just not right,” she told KCRA.
The theft was caught on White’s home camera, showing someone walking up to the house, grabbing the flag, and jogging away. White called the video “heartbreaking,” noting the flag symbolizes not just the United States, but decades of service and sacrifice.
White served as a tanker in the Fourth of the 68th Armor in Germany in addition to fighting in Vietnam. After retiring from the military, he spent 21 years with the U.S. Postal Service, always emphasizing service and helping others.
The family has filed a police report, hoping the incident serves as a reminder to respect the personal and historical meaning behind such symbols.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.