CONGRESSMAN REPLACES FAMILY'S STOLEN AMERICAN FLAG.

Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Staff Writer

PALMDALE - A Quartz Hill family whose American flag was stolen while being displayed in memory of the Sept. 11 victims got a new one that once hung over the U.S. Capitol.

Melvin and Vickie Harris received the new flag from U.S. Rep. Howard ``Buck'' McKeon, who two years ago had presented the original flag to their daughter, Jessica, when she earned the top Girl Scout honor, the Gold Award.

``I thought, How low can somebody be, to steal a flag?'' said McKeon, R-Valencia.

Because U.S. flags are in such demand, the Harrises are still trying to find one, or a couple, to hang in front of their home. But the new flag from McKeon, because it has such meaning for their daughter - now a University of Southern California sophomore - is going into safekeeping.

``We can't promise her it won't be stolen again,'' Vickie Harris said.

Indeed they can't: More flags keep disappearing.

On Tuesday, Spencer and Bonnie Berg discovered someone stole the 8-foot-by-5-foot flag that had covered the casket of her father, Roy Gohl, an Army and Merchant Marine World War II veteran who died last year.

Bonnie Berg had borrowed the flag from her mother to display after the Sept. 11 attacks, and hung it in front of their west Palmdale home.

Berg hesitated about hanging a flag with such sentimental value, but her mother told her: ``No, hang it with pride - he would have wanted you to,'' Berg said. ``We never dreamed that anybody would take it.''

The Bergs have placed fliers around their west Palmdale neighborhood asking for the return of the flag. Anyone with information can call at [phone].

The Harrises' flag was stolen around dawn Sept. 17 from in front of their home. A neighbor's flag disappeared at the same time.

After President Bush asked Americans to display the U.S. flag in honor of the Sept. 11 victims, Vickie Harris pulled the flag from McKeon out of their daughter's Girl Scout memorabilia.

Melvin Harris had to get a stout pole and a neighbor built a bracket strong enough to support the big flag.

``That was the thing to do, to fly the flag,'' said Melvin Harris, a Vietnam veteran.

They mounted a light to shine on the flag, following etiquette for displaying the flag overnight.

The light, Melvin Harris said, apparently just made it easier for the thief.

Despite the thefts, McKeon said he is heartened by the widespread showings of the American flag. He said it reminds him of Americans' actions during World War II, which ended when he was 7.

``Everybody sacrificed. Everybody pulled together. I didn't know if we'd ever see that again,'' McKeon said. ``An outward show of that is being able to display the flag.''

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Congressman Howard ``Buck'' McKeon presents a new U.S. flag to Vickie and Melvin Harris, to replace one recently stolen by thieves.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Thieves recently stole the U.S. flag that Jessica Harris was given for earning the top Girl Scouts award.

(3) Jessica Harris poses with Congressman Howard ``Buck'' McKeon in front of the U.S. Capitol in 1995.