US MARINES SHOW UP AT EX-ARMY MAN’S HOUSE AFTER HE BUYS AN AMERICAN FLAG WHICH HAS A SECRET STORY

 

Flea Markets have often given people the chance to discover things that have the potential to change lives. You can find things you can never imagine at a market.

Walter Brown, a retired army officer was in a flea market with his wife when his head turned in surprise to see the country’s flag lying on a stall in the market. And then his decision of buying the flag would change everything because it was no normal flag.

The flag did not belong in the market, and its origins would change lives forever, so much so that the next time Walter Brown would think twice before entering a flea market.

The Browns

Walter Brown was a retired army officer and a true patriot residing in Texas. He loved his country and would be ready to do anything for it. His wife Lanie has always supported Walter in all the decisions that he made. But one decision in this story would start a different action in the couple’s lives altogether.

Out And About

Walter and Lanie needed a holster for their Walther P22. They decided to go and check for the holster at the flea market, hoping to get lucky at finding it. Little did they know they were going to find something so unique and special that day. 

Lost In Market

On a visit to the flea market, people usually get so engrossed in looking at the different things that are available in the market that the thought of finding something as unique a flag hardly ever crosses the mind. Walter too, was unaware of what he would find in the market. 

The Flag

While looking for the holster, Walter’s eyes noticed an American flag lying abandoned on a stall. But the flag was not like any other flag. There was something peculiar about it. And it was very unusual that even the people running the flea market were unaware of the unique item that they held in stock. 

Fred Yahne

Yahne, the vendor of the stall in the flea market, had noticed the unique flag while unpacking his stuff. Yahne usually brought stuff from storage crates and sell them in the flea market. But he really had no idea how the flag came in his crate of stuff. 

Diverted

Yahne had noticed the flag while unpacking his crate and had kept it on one side separately, with the intention of looking at it later but then he got so occupied with the other stuff on his stall that he forgot about the flag. 

Purchase

Walter was an ex-army man so he knew the value of a country flag and therefore he decided to buy it and keep it safely with himself. But as soon as he picked up the flag to have a look at it, he knew there was something unusual about it which made it stand out from all the other flags of America. 

Slipped Out Of Mind

“I didn’t know what it was when I was processing the boxes. I really wanted to see what it was”, said Yahne. But when Walter came to ask the price of the flag, Yahne was just excited for the sale that he was going to make and quoted $15. But Walter wouldn’t agree. 

Minimal Cost

Walter asked Yahne to look closely at the flag and then re-think about the price. Yahne noticed that the flag had stains and scribbling done with ink and that is why he reduced the price to just $5. He had indeed given too little a price for something that was going to yield such an incredible story. 

Little Messages

When Walter took a close look at the flag, he saw that there was something handwritten all over the flag. It had little messages written by strangers, for a stranger. Walter took the flag home to investigate the uniqueness and story of the flag further. 

Unaware

Walter was happy that he had found such a unique looking country flag for such a nominal cost. But he was unaware of the story behind the uniqueness of the flag. Soon, he would see Marines gathered outside his house when they would know of the flag that Walter owned now. 

Serving The Country

Walter Brown had been in the army and had served the country for quite a long time. In fact, his son-in-law was also in the U.S. Marine Corps. The family had the true patriot fervor in them and that is why the flag caught Walter’s attention in the first place. 

Impelled

Walter was aware of the fact that the scribbling on the flag was indeed unusual and unique. But what was it that impelled the whole of the Marine Force to gather around his house? Was Walter and his family in some kind of danger? 

Secret?

It seemed like there was a secret that was hidden inside those messages. What other reason could there possibly be that all the messages were addressed to one person only? There definitely was something strange about the flag that the Marine officers came to have a word with Walter. 

Help

Walter had read all the messages and knew that he would need one person’s help in figuring out what to do about the flag. He knew that the flag did not belong either in the flea market or with him, its place is somewhere else. 

Son-In-Law

Walter called up his son-in-law and explained him all that he had read on the flag. He knew his son-in-law was the right person to involve in the matter and ask for help because he was also a US Marine officer and would have some information that would help get some knowledge about the flag. 

Addressed

All the messages scribbled on the flag were addressed to one person alone, named Fred. The question now was that who was Fred and why were messages addressed to him written on a flag? Were the people trying to hide a secret and transfer some information to Fred through the flag? 

Amazed

Walter’s son-in-law came to his house as soon as he got Walter’s message and saw the flag. He was taken aback when he read what all was written on the flag. He was still working in the Marine forces and knew the importance of the text that the flag was covered with. 

Informed

Walter’s son-in-law knew that the right thing to do would be to inform his officers about the flag. He immediately informed the US Marines about the flag. He had only told them what kind of messages were written on the flag and the officers could immediately make out the significance of the flag. 

Identity

The US Marine officers immediately planned a visit to Walter’s house. An officer explained to Walter that the flag belonged to a Lance Corporal. He knew that Lance Corporal was the rank given to a specific Marine Officer. But what were all those messages about? 

Fred

Each message written on the flag was addressed to one person named Fred. Walter had questions upon questions before he could land on any kind of conclusions. Why was the flag in a flea market? And why were messages addressed to Fred written on the flag? And who was Fred? And what was so important about the flag that Marine officers came in? 

The Words

One message read, “Hey CHEEKS, wherever you are, make sure you watch over us.” While another one said, “Fred, you were a good Marine and we will always remember you.” And that is when the officers made the final revelation. 

The Truth

The American flag was not a usual flag, Walter was sure of that. Turns out, it was a tribute flag for Fred. Each member of Fred’s unit wrote to the Marine officer after he lost his life while serving his country. And what happened next to the flag, was unbelievable. 

Decision

Walter Brown and his family decided that since they were the owners of the flag for now, they would return the flag to its rightful owner. Even though Fred was long gone, there would have been someone from his family that the Browns could search for. 

Search

The Marine officers were not allowed to leak any information regarding their officers to a civilian, so they could not go against the rules. The Browns decided to search for Fred’s family on their own. And the person to help them in this endeavor would be their daughter. 

Catie Brown

Walter asked his daughter to help him find Fred’s family so that they could give them back such an important part of Fred’s life. Catie was a tech-freak and so she could search for Fred or any member of his family on the online search database. 

Patsy Maciel

After doing thorough research, Catie found out a woman named Patsy Maciel who seemed to be connected to Fred in some way. Catie decided to contact Patsy and make her doubts clear. A whole new story was to unfold.

Relation

After talking to Patsy, it was revealed that she was Fred’s mother. At first she did not like the interference of Catie in such a sensitive matter of her life but when she came to know the reason behind why Catie had contacted her, she was touched and emotional all again. 

Planning

Catie had convinced Patsy Maciel to meet her so that she could return her son’s prized possession to her. But the Brown’s had planned something big for the mother. They decided to conduct a tribute for Fred at the same place where he was buried, the Cavalry Hill Cemetery in Texas. 

Gathered

When Maciel arrived in the cemetery, she was speechless to see that it was not just Catie who had come to meet her, but a lot of other people. Some of her family members and officers from the US Marine were also gathered to pay tribute to her brave son. 

Handing Over

“Patsy,” Lanie said, “our family feels so honored to have been chosen to find this flag … Thank you for sharing this piece of your boy with us.” And with these words and tears in her eyes, she handed over the flag to Fred Maciel’s mother. 

Peace

Patsy was overwhelmed to see that so many people had gathered to show their respect to her son. She was happy to see that people had not forgotten about him or his sacrifice for the country. “I’ve got peace in my heart. I’m happy. This is all for my son. Nobody forgot my son. This flag will be with me till I die. This is a piece of my son I’m getting back. It’s a great feeling”, she said. 

Lost And Won

Patsy also told everyone how she did not want her son to join the forces. “I cried for three days trying to convince him not to,” she said. Patsy also told that she “lost that fight” since Fred ultimately did join the US Marine. 

Thankful

Patsy was indeed obliged to the Brown family because they actually made the efforts to find her and hand over the flag to her. “For eight years, I was a basket case. I didn’t know how to go on without my son,” she told Catie. And then she finally got a closure. 

Exceptional

The feeling after Patsy held the flag was indeed a very special one for her. “It’s a piece of my son coming back to me,” said Maciel, who lives in Harris County. “It feels great and I love them for that. I don’t have my son but at least I have this.”

The Eulogy

After the accident of Fred’s death, Ted Poe gave a eulogy in the Congress House for Fred. “Lance Corporal Maciel we will remember, we will forever remember your fight against these international outlaws. Maciel died in helping establish democracy in a land far, far away. You know, some causes are worth dying for. And liberty is one of those causes … may this American hero’s devotion to his country continue to kindle our dreams and ambitions of a free people. So Semper Fi, Lance Corporal Maciel, Semper Fi.”

Unfinished Life

“Maciel in his 20 years had already exhibited a lifetime of sacrifice and selfishness. The magnitude of the tragedy only becomes worse when you take into account the life Maciel had in front of him when it was extinguished so suddenly. Maciel was scheduled to return home following the January 30 elections in Iraq and had plans to marry his fiancée, Jamie Hommel,” Poe said.

Missing

After the tragic accident in which Fred lost his life, all his belongings were sent back to his house. But Patsy did not even know that a tribute flag which his comrades had made for him, was also a part of Fred’s belongings. So there was no chance Patsy would know about it. 

Years Later

It was only after nine long years that Catie contacted Patsy and said to her, “I have something of Fred’s I want to give you.” It took the flag nine years to reach Walter and then ultimately to the rightful owner, Fred’s mother herself. 

Bond

The story shows us how each person who serves their respective country shares a strong bond with each other. Because of this bond all the Marine officers came together at once to fulfill their duty of handing over the flag to Fred’s mother, even if it was after nine years.