Post office quickly replaces tattered Old Glory

The tattered and torn U.S. flag that has been flying above the Carpentersville post office was replaced today with a new Stars and Stripes, hoisted this afternoon.

Just after 1:35 p.m. Friday, Pete Louckes from Olympic Signs in Des Plaines ran a new flag up the pole outside the post office at the northern end of Meadowdale Mall.

"They sent me out here on an emergency call," Louckes said.

The flag will now be handed over to the West Dundee VFW post for proper disposal, Postmaster Ralph Kaiser said.

For two weeks, Glenn Gibbs said he drove past the flag and wondered why the flag had not been replaced.

"I would rather see no flag flying than one that it is torn like that," said Gibbs, who brought the flag to the attention of the Daily Herald.

"I could understand that there must a reason that there isn't a flag flying," Gibbs said, "that they would rather fly no flag at all than fly one that is torn like that."

Within hours of the story appearing in the Herald, the new flag fluttered smartly and Gibbs no longer has to wonder.