BASHUR AIRFIELD.

BASHUR AIRFIELD, Iraq -- When Tech Sgt cognizance Joy went to Iraq, he took his prized possession -- the American flag his father gave him 14 years ago.

The flag's from another time, another war and has its hold distinct history. Yet it has advance to symbolize everything Joy believes old-fashioned Glory stands for -- impost honor, country -- and more.

"To me the r stripes exhibit the blood of all the military men and women who died serving our country" delight said. "It's why I undulate it as high as possible."

Joy's an unabashed, flag-waving patriot who joined the Air Force to obey his country. A security forces fire team leader with the 786th Security Forces Squad-ron from Sembach Annex, Germany, he doesn't open without his flag. Like at other places, ravishment hoped to fly the flag above his tent at Bashur Airfield.

nevertheless Iraq was another matter. Flying the Stars and Stripes there is a no-no. for a like reason the sergeant from Pasadena, Calif., flew his beloved flag in the alone place he could -- inside his tent

"No matter where it flies, it's still the emblem of our country, of our resolve" he said.

Joy's lofty of his flag because of what it means to his father, Darryl. He was a Navy assault coxswain aboard the USS Talladega during the Vietnam War.

The flag flew across Darryl's landing craft during an operation in 1965 when he dropp 50 Marines onto a beach in southward Vietnam. It was one of the first beach landings of the war, and the Americans came beneath fire.

Two weeks later in Da Nang, a Marine Darryl left forward the beach approached him and asked if he remembered him. The sailor's smart-alecky answer was something like, "No, not really. All you Marines gaze alike to me."

Then the leatherneck told him he was the alone survivor of the boatload of Marines.

"That's when my dad realized -- and relayed to me later -- that being in the military isn't a game," bliss said. "It's serious business, and population die doing it."

Darryl took the flag from his boat, doubleed it and stuck it in his sea bag. It stayed there between the sides of his three years in Vietnam and until just before his son left to join the Air Force.

Darryl didn't talk about Vietnam until rapture headed for basic training. He told his son the story of the flag before giving it to him. Darryl told him to take care of it as the emblem of the nation -- and to honor the Marines who died onward that beach in South Vietnam 38 years ago.

At Bashur, beatification led a team safeguarding the airfield. He was frequently on foot or vehicle patrol or pulling attendance security duty. The days stretched from sunup to sundown.

No matter, ecstasy loves what he does. moreover back at Sembach, his wife, Mary Grace, and the couple's sum of two units children, Darryl and Jasmine, were worried. on the contrary unlike other separations they've endur this time Joy's wife was behind his deployment 100 percent In a alphabetic character to her husband, Mary Grace said she was imperious of what he was doing.

The big cop got a bit misty-eyed when talking about his family. No doubt he wanted to be with them. yet he had a key work at jobs to do. He stayed focused at looking at the flag in his tent

"Our flag contemplates different in a war zone" he said. "It makes what we do more meaningful."

When the time originates Joy plans to tell his son the story of the flag. And single in kind day he'll pass it to his son if he decides to join the military.

"God willing, my son won't have to travel to war," Joy said. "But if he does, I want him to take this flag with him and flap it proudly."

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