Carnegie Borough Building Flag Service Honors Vietnam Vet

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - For the past five years, veterans' flag services have been held at the Carnegie Borough Building to honor the lives of American service members.

This weekend, the 25th veteran was remembered for their service to our country.

Members of the VFW and American Legion joined with the Borough of Carnegie to honor Carl McDougal.

"So proud. Carl deserved this honor in spades," McDougal's widow, Sally, said.

McDougal was a Vietnam veteran. His casket flag was flown over the borough building for two weeks to remember his service to America. But, his family says serving was Carl's middle name.

"He was an awesome brother. He would do a lot for the community. He was always there for everyone," McDougal's sister, Mary Kay, said.

VFW Post 331 and American Legion Post 82 were involved in the special flag ceremony.

"He was a wonderful, outgoing, loving person. He would do anything for anybody that the possibly could," Sally said.

His sister remembers how he always stepped forward to help.

"I started a clothing mission and Carl was the first there and gave us his brand new leather coat off his back for the clothing mission," she said.

Those who never knew Carl were able to see his photo with the words, "Thanks for stopping in." It's a phrase his widow heard him say hundreds of times.

"That's been his saying for 40 years. When people would come into the club or into the home or wherever and people would come in -- it didn't matter whether he knew them or not, it was thanks for stopping in," Sally said.

Thank you to McDougal for his service.