Dear Ann Landers,
he American flag is a beautiful symbol of everything we stand for. My most memorable moment relating to our flag occurred on a Sunday morning, April 29, 1945, at Stalag VII-A, Moosburg, Ger-many, a POW camp where I was imprisoned along with 30,000 other Allies. (The camp was built to hold 3,000.) We heard the deep rumble of diesel tanks approaching, but they were in the valley, and we couldn't see them. When the first tank poked its nose over the hill and the column of Gen. Patton's 3rd Army tanks made its way to the main gate of our prison camp, a huge roar went up that drowned out the sound of all those beautiful tanks. This was free-dom coming up the road! Shortly after our liberators arrived, a grimy, skinny but smiling GI shinnied up the flagpole by the main gate. He tore down the ugly swastika of Nazi Germany and replaced it with the glorious Stars and Stripes. It was a moment none of us will ever forget. There were many hardened veterans in that camp. Some of them had been POWs for more than three years, but the tears rolled down their cheeks, and they were not ashamed to be seen crying. Being set free can do that to people when they have been behind barbed wire and don't know if they will ever see their families again. Although all this took place more than 43 years ago, Ann, the mem-ory of that morning is as clear as if it happened yesterday. -B. McD. Jr., Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.), Irving, Texas

Dear Colonel,
Thank you for jogging loose some thrilling memo-ries for millions of readers. Those old war stories, even after 40 years, can still get the blood coursing through the old veins.