Grandson in Iraq sends Minden couple a U.S. flag

Roy and Janet Crago of Minden received a surprise package from Iraq on Jan. 2.

Their grandson, 25-year-old Army Spc. David Christopher Scantlin is a helicopter crew chief with Task Force Gunfighters, 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion; 1st Combat Aviation Brigade; 1st Infantry Division deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The surprise was an American flag that had been flown Nov. 5 on an Operation Smuggler Run mission over Iraq.

"We are so proud of Chris," Janet Crago said of her first born grandson.

"All he said was he was going to send us something from Iraq, and then I got this package with the flag in it this morning," Roy Crago said. "I told the paper about it because I just wanted my grandson and his unit to have some recognition for what they are doing."

Scantlin, originally from Templeton, Calif., is serving his term in the Army. He was first stationed in Korea where he met and married Toni, who was also serving in the army in Korea.

Now he is in Iraq, having completed almost a year of his 18-month deployment.

Toni, honorably discharged from the service and his almost 5-month-old son, Ian, born in August, are at Fort Riley, Kan., awaiting his return.

The Cragos moved to Minden in 2004 from Paso Robles, Calif.

"Believe it or not, we moved here to Minden for the snow," Janet Crago said. "Paso Robles is so hot, sometimes 100 or more degrees and I just couldn't take the heat anymore."