Daniel E. Walker
| Daniel Edward Walker
(Texas defender of the American flag at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Born | November 19, 1927 Wichita Falls, Texas, USA | ||
| Died | September 16, 2009 (aged 81) Fort Worth, Texas | ||
| Spouse | Patricia Ann "Patty" Walker Three children: | ||
Daniel Edward Walker, known as Dan Walker (November 19, 1927– September 16, 2009), was a United States Army veteran from Fort Worth, Texas, who received international attention for how he properly disposed of an American flag that had been burned in a liberal protest.[1][2]
A native of Wichita Falls in north Texas, Walker served in World War II. In 1953, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York,[3] He subsequently served in Korea and was a member of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.[2]
In 1984, after protesters burned an American flag during the Republican National Convention held in Dallas, Walker retrieved the remains. He buried them in his backyard according to official military guidelines. Walker said, "I didn’t want somebody sweeping it up with a broom and putting it in an ashcan."[1][2]
Following the incident, Walker received the Army's highest civilian award and a letter of commendation from U.S. President Ronald W. Reagan.[1][2]
The flag burning incident eventually led to the 1989 United States Supreme Court decision of Texas v. Johnson, which upheld flag burning as a freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment by a narrow 5-4 decision.[4]
Walker and his wife, Patricia Ann "Patty" Walker, had two sons and a daughter. He was a deacon-emeritus of the McKinney Memorial Bible Church in Fort Worth and sang with the oratorio chorus at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Walker died of prostate cancer some two months before his 82nd birthday.[1][2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dan Walker, 81; veteran who buried burned flag remnants. Boston Herald; Associate Press (September 20, 2009). Retrieved on September 4, 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Jan Jarvis. Fort Worth Star-Telegram (September 16, 2009). Retrieved on September 22, 2009; no longer on-line..
- ↑ Last Roll Call. United States Military Academy. Retrieved on September 22, 2009.
- ↑ Background Summary and Questions, Texas v. Johnson (1989), Landmark Supreme Court Cases. Retrieved on 2008-02-05.
