NORTH OGDEN, Utah — The widow of former North Ogden Mayor Maj. Brent Taylor is pleading with the public to keep an eye out for a special flag that was stolen over the weekend.

“My biggest plea is if you open the case hoping you had hundreds of dollars of power tools inside that DeWalt case and you found fabric, please give the fabric back; that fabric is important to us,” said Jennie Taylor.

The flag was stolen out of the Major Brent Taylor Foundation’s trailer Friday night as it was parked outside of a volunteer’s home. The trailer had been loaded that evening with 250 smaller flags in preparation for a service member’s service on Saturday.

“We came out and there was no question it was messed with,” Taylor said. “The door was wide open.”

Taylor said the lock on the door was gone but nothing was damaged inside the trailer.

It wasn’t until volunteers were setting up the service that they realized the case with the flag was missing.

“We packed it up and went to the funeral. That was our top priority, we have to be there for that family, but then when we got that settled and looked through the trailer, we realized one of our cases with one of our larger flags was gone.”

The missing flag, called the Lieutenant, is a 30′ by 60′ American flag. It is often used at parades and events honoring service members or members of the community.

“In Colorado a few years ago, Officer Eric Talley was killed in a grocery store. We flew out there and took the flag. We lent it to Boulder City Police Station, and they hung it on the side of their police building for a number of weeks,” Taylor said. “During the pandemic, we hung it on the side of McKay-Dee and Ogden Regional Medical Center to thank our healthcare workers. So, this is very much significant, very emotional, and it’s a display, it’s a tribute flag.”

Jennie Taylor is the diving force behind the foundation – named after her husband who was killed in action in 2018.

Taylor hopes that whoever stole the case with the flag in it realizes its value isn’t monetary, but instead sentimental. It’s a symbol of service.

“It’s frustrating and it’s crushing, and our first thought is who in the world hates us, which is not necessarily a targeted attack, but you feel violated when something you own is taken by someone who does not have permission to take it.”

To replace the Lieutenant would cost the foundation about $1,500. Taylor hopes they won’t have to and the flag will be found.

“We’re not looking to punish or make a big deal out of it. If someone is listening and knows about it, seen it, just give it back.”