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Veterans’ grave markers found as part of fire pit

COLUMBIA, Conn. (WTNH) – Realtors never really know what they’ll find when showing clients a bank-owned property, but no one ever expected to see grave markers at a fire pit.

“All three of us just stopped,” said Vicki Schroeder, who was shocked when she and her two clients came upon a fire pit outside the Columbia home.

The grave markers for two U.S. Veterans appear to be used alongside cinder blocks to make up the pit. Schroeder couldn’t believe what she was reading.

“U.S. Army World War II and Korea U.S. Navy,” she said.

“If you see something, say something. I know everybody thinks about national security, but if you see something like this, these guys are part of our national security,” the real estate agent said. “I’m going to tear up because it’s so, just disrespectful.”

Both men appeared to have been buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in North Windham. A worker showed the site where the Korean veteran was buried. His marker had been replaced.

The new markers has a cross etched on it, leading the worker to believe the one found may have been rejected and was possibly taken by someone who had access to it, like a former worker. He says if someone wanted to reuse it, it should have been turned over out of respect to the veteran whose name is on it.

“I called (WTNH) because I think, who knows, this could stay here forever,” said Schroeder.

It’s not known if the previous owners of the home or someone else put the grave markers around the fire pit, but Schroeder says with the house being on the market for about a year, she’s surprised no one else was bothered enough to say something.