Whenever U.S. Army reservist Dave Zanin was on a convoy while stationed in Iraq with the 7 85th military police battalion, he always made sure his three American flags were right beside him.
‘They were folded up, put in an ammo can and then they traveled with me,? the Oxford resident said. ‘Anywhere I went, my flags went.?
When the chance permitted, Zanin would get to raise and lower his flag at Camp Bucca during his year in the country, but only for a short time because the Americans weren’t an occupying force.
When the flags weren’t traveling with Zanin in a convoy or being raised, his was hung proudly in his room.
Two of the three flags Zanin bought were for his brother-in-law and a friend, but the other was to be encased once he got home this past August and eventually passed down to his children.
Unfortunately, after only one week of being flown on a new flag pole in the front yard of his Basket Branch home, Zanin’s flag was stolen on ? of all days ? September 11.
‘I was furious,? the 15-year Army veteran and volunteer Oxford firefighter said.
Sometime early Monday morning, someone detached the upper half of the Zanin’s new 8 ft. flag pole, which was cemented into the ground. The pole had his special American flag and black POW/MIA flag flying on it.
The funny thing is neither Zanin, nor his wife Robin, noticed the flags missing when he left for work early that morning. It was only when their 16-year-old son, Cody Holzbaugh, came home from school that day and asked where the flags were.
Zanin was devastated when his wife called him at work to tell him the bad news.
‘Anybody that goes around stealing flags, to me, is an idiot. I’m sure I could get another one, but it would require a little traveling,? he said jokingly.
Zanin’s wife said they couldn’t care less about the missing pole or the POW flag because they can buy more, but the sentimental value of the American flag can never be replaced.
‘It really upsets me that people don’t think about what kind of meaning some things have to people,? Robin said.
Zanin said he would appreciate it if anyone with any information on the whereabouts of the flag would call the Oakland County Sheriff’s Oxford substation at (248) 969-3077.
A reward is possible for the return of the flag. Zanin’s wife said they couldn’t care less about the missing pole or the POW flag because they can buy more, but the sentimental value of the American flag can never be replaced.
‘It really upsets me that people don’t think about what kind of meaning some things have to people,? Robin said.
Zanin said he would appreciate it if anyone with any information on the whereabouts of the flag would call the Oakland County Sheriff’s Oxford substation at (248) 969-3077. A reward is possible for the return of the flag.