A blind 92-year-old veteran was assaulted—by a group of vandals trying to destroy the flags flying outside the man’s house.
Earlier this month, Howard Banks said he heard noises coming from near the flagpole outside his home in Kaufman, Texas. Because his Two flags, a U.S. flag and a Marine Corps flag, had previously been torn apart and thrown to the ground, Banks went to confront the intruders. He was pushed to the ground, as they ran away.
Banks, who was mostly blinded by a flare while fighting at the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II, was unable to give a full description of his attackers.
Banks’ attackers have not been identified—but his fellow Marines decided to help make it up to him. After Banks’ story went public earlier this month, he was surprised with an Honor Flight to Washington, DC so he could visit the National World War II Memorial.
Banks also was greeted by several younger Marines who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they swapped stories.
“We’ve honored our flag all that time and doggone it, with our political climate the way that it is, we need something to rally around and that’s our flag,” said Banks.
Banks told the media that he now has security cameras installed outside his home, to help police stop any future acts of vandalism.
But regardless of the attack, Banks is determined to keep flying his flags.
“Once a Marine, always a Marine,” he said. “I try to live that way.”
AAN Staff
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