HARWICH – Leah Elliot of Harwich put up flags on the Route 124 overpass at Exit 10 on Route 6 in Brewster early this week as an homage for those participating in the Wounded Warrior event on Cape Cod this week.
An American flag and a flag supporting the US military were meant to help welcome the injured veterans who would be visiting the Cape to participate in the event.
She said her fiance and a friend had the idea to put up the flags to support the veterans and show patriotism. Originally, they installed a dozen flags and noticed they were disappearing.
Three disappeared overnight on Monday. And Tuesday night all of them disappeared.
Her fiance just returned from a six-month deployment with the US Air Force in Afghanistan. “Seeing the flags missing was really upsetting to us,” she said.
So when she found that were gone the next day, she quickly found replacements and re-hung them from the overpass.
“We actually are in the process of putting all the flags up currently so they will be up for the Wounded Warrior project this weekend,” she said.
But when they were taken a second time, she went public about the matter.
“It’s hurts a lot to see our efforts in keeping the American spirit alive just taken away like that,” she said.
Elliot said she is replacing the flags and Harwich police are investigating the theft.
“If we have any say in it, [the flags] will be up all year round, so that everyone can enjoy them,” she said.
Elliot said there are not yet any leads on the theft. “We just hope that if someone took them had a need for them and is enjoying them and respecting them as any American flag should be treated,” she said.
If anyone wants to donate a flag, they can drop it off at the Harwich Police Department, Elliot said.
For more on the Wounded Warrior event, click here.
