Vandals destroy war memorial wreaths

From Action News 6: Vandals destroy war memorial wreaths
PENN'S LANDING - December 11, 2011 (WPVI) -- For the third December in a row, custodian James Moran says he's picking up the pieces by the war memorials at Penn's Landing.

This afternoon he called police after discovering five wreaths destroyed. They were placed by the Korean War Memorial on Veterans Day.

"We have young men and women dying in Afghanistan and Iraq for our flag; it's a disgrace this goes on every single year," Moran said.

Moran says flowers were torn off or stolen. Moran found what was left strewn across the plaza or stuffed in a trash can.

Moran is a custodian for the Vietnam Memorial, but also keeps an eye on the nearby Korean War and Beirut memorials. He predicts wreaths by the other two will soon be hit, as has been the pattern for the last two years.

Moran lost his brother, a Marine, in Cambodia; his only son is a Marine and served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As he cleaned up, Moran said more respect should be shown for the many men and women who have served our country.

"Our country don't ask anything of anybody, they want everybody to live in peace and harmony. Why take symbol of our memorials and destruct it," Moran said.