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Vandals paint swastikas on Legion
By Sophia S. Huling / News Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 8, 2004
SHREWSBURY -- The American Legion Post, which serves two veterans groups, is offering $1,000 for information on who smeared swastikas on their property on the 60th anniversary of D-Day, police said yesterday.
Donald Gray of Ray Stone Post 238 said he passed the town-owned building on Main Street between noon and 2 p.m. Sunday and saw swastikas painted over two signs, feces dumped on the cannon on the front lawn, and an obscene message and photo left on their Dumpster.
"To have this happen on the 60th anniversary of D-Day was an affront to everybody," Gray said. "It's absolutely horrendous that some people have this as an agenda."
The swastikas were spray-painted in red over the handicapped-parking sign 10 feet from the building and on the free-standing sign on the front lawn, between the names of the two veterans groups that meet there, the Ray Stone Post and Victor Quaranta Post 397, said Shrewsbury Police Lt. James Hurley.
He said the vandalism must have happened during the night, because a 3-foot-wide stripe of red paint was found across the middle of Main Street in front of the building, matching the paint used for the swastikas.
"They also defecated on the cannon and highlighted it with orange spray paint," Hurley said.
Hurley said Gray made the report Sunday afternoon, although the department first learned of the damage earlier that morning.
"I can't imagine why some fool would do something like this, especially on that day," said Gray, a former town clerk.
Ray Stone Post Commander Frederick Morris, who served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, said the front lawn sign would have to be replaced, and the other graffiti would have to be painted over.
He said the post did not have events planned to commemorate the 60th anniversary.
"Most of the veterans are World War II veterans, and they're pretty well aged and can't really get around much," Morris said.
Hurley said police have no suspects yet, but have collected a DNA sample from the feces, which he said appeared to be human.
"I'm outraged by it," said Hurley. "The entire town should be offended by this and should be actively working with the police department."
Victor Quaranta Post Commander Norman Vandal, who served in Japan and Korea from 1944 to 1946, suggested the damage could be related to a recent rash of vandalism in town, including broken windows in cars and buildings.
Hurley was not so sure.
"Whether it is or it isn't, I can't say. But this is so far over the line, having vandalism like this to the American Legion Post on the 60th anniversary of D-Day, this has got top priority within the department right now," said Hurley. "We need to get these people in front of the court as soon as possible."
Walter Kalczynski of the Quaranta Post said, "It was a shock to all of us.
We have no idea why anybody would do something like that."
Kalczynski, who served in the Air Force after World War II and during the Korean War, said, "We're good to the community. Just today the Quaranta Post signed up two kids for the state police trooper program that the American Legion sponsors. Boys State and Girls State are two other programs that post is sponsoring."
Anyone with information is urged to call the Police Department's crime tip line at 508-841-8420. All calls are confidential.
Vandals paint swastikas on Legion
By Sophia S. Huling / News Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 8, 2004
SHREWSBURY -- The American Legion Post, which serves two veterans groups, is offering $1,000 for information on who smeared swastikas on their property on the 60th anniversary of D-Day, police said yesterday.
Donald Gray of Ray Stone Post 238 said he passed the town-owned building on Main Street between noon and 2 p.m. Sunday and saw swastikas painted over two signs, feces dumped on the cannon on the front lawn, and an obscene message and photo left on their Dumpster.
"To have this happen on the 60th anniversary of D-Day was an affront to everybody," Gray said. "It's absolutely horrendous that some people have this as an agenda."
The swastikas were spray-painted in red over the handicapped-parking sign 10 feet from the building and on the free-standing sign on the front lawn, between the names of the two veterans groups that meet there, the Ray Stone Post and Victor Quaranta Post 397, said Shrewsbury Police Lt. James Hurley.
He said the vandalism must have happened during the night, because a 3-foot-wide stripe of red paint was found across the middle of Main Street in front of the building, matching the paint used for the swastikas.
"They also defecated on the cannon and highlighted it with orange spray paint," Hurley said.
Hurley said Gray made the report Sunday afternoon, although the department first learned of the damage earlier that morning.
"I can't imagine why some fool would do something like this, especially on that day," said Gray, a former town clerk.
Ray Stone Post Commander Frederick Morris, who served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, said the front lawn sign would have to be replaced, and the other graffiti would have to be painted over.
He said the post did not have events planned to commemorate the 60th anniversary.
"Most of the veterans are World War II veterans, and they're pretty well aged and can't really get around much," Morris said.
Hurley said police have no suspects yet, but have collected a DNA sample from the feces, which he said appeared to be human.
"I'm outraged by it," said Hurley. "The entire town should be offended by this and should be actively working with the police department."
Victor Quaranta Post Commander Norman Vandal, who served in Japan and Korea from 1944 to 1946, suggested the damage could be related to a recent rash of vandalism in town, including broken windows in cars and buildings.
Hurley was not so sure.
"Whether it is or it isn't, I can't say. But this is so far over the line, having vandalism like this to the American Legion Post on the 60th anniversary of D-Day, this has got top priority within the department right now," said Hurley. "We need to get these people in front of the court as soon as possible."
Walter Kalczynski of the Quaranta Post said, "It was a shock to all of us.
We have no idea why anybody would do something like that."
Kalczynski, who served in the Air Force after World War II and during the Korean War, said, "We're good to the community. Just today the Quaranta Post signed up two kids for the state police trooper program that the American Legion sponsors. Boys State and Girls State are two other programs that post is sponsoring."
Anyone with information is urged to call the Police Department's crime tip line at 508-841-8420. All calls are confidential.
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