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PLEASANT GROVE -- The widow of a World War II veteran who recently passed away wants her husband's flag back. Caroline Newman says she noticed it was gone when she came back to her Pleasant Grove apartment.
Caroline's husband, Pete Newman, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He passed away in just two months ago after battling cancer.
Pete was buried at the Utah Veterans Memorial Park in Bluffdale. The American flag that draped his casket was given to his wife. Now it's gone.
"It meant a lot to my mom. It meant a lot to the grandchildren who carried his casket," said Julie Slack, Pete and Caroline's daughter.
Julie says her mother's lease was about to expire at her Pleasant Grove apartment, so she decided to move in with family elsewhere. This past week, when she returned to her apartment to get the last of her items, she noticed a VCR, Comcast cable modem and the flag were missing.
She says they were stolen. The Pleasant Grove Police Department is investigating.
"The flag was folded up the way they presented it to my mom the day of my dad's funeral," Julie said.
"Everybody knows that a flag represents, especially a folded flag," said John Slack, the Newmans' grandson.
The missing flag is especially important to John Slack. Last year, as a high school senior at Brighton High, he received his diploma at the same time his grandfather did.
Pete Newman was drafted into the U.S. Navy during World War II as a high school junior. He graduated while serving in China but never received his diploma.
Sixty-three years later, Pete was finally able to walk in a graduation ceremony and received his diploma alongside his grandson.
"It was very special to me, and will stay with me the rest of my life," John said.
The family was hoping to have the flag with them the rest of their lives as well.
"My dad loved the American flag," Julie said. "He deserved that flag; and as a family, we deserve to have it. It's very cruel for someone to take it, and it hurts a lot."
The Newmans are asking anyone who might know something about the alleged burglary to call Pleasant Grove police.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
