In Little Falls, Minn., War Looms Large

L I T T L E   F A L L S, Minn., April 7 -- In Little Falls, Minn., connections to the war are evident, and a furor has erupted over a French flag.

There are American flags and yellow ribbons on every street, and the plastic banner flapping above the center of town reads, "Support Our Troops." The chatter of gunfire at the training range at Camp Ripley is audible.

More than 300 Guardsmen based there are already in Iraq or on the way. Eight-month-old Simon Pantzke's mother is one of them.

Simon's father, Matt Pantzke, is clearly worried.

"I'm scared that something is going to happen when she goes over there," Pantzke said. "That she might not come home."

While worry permeates every aspect of life here, this community is sharply divided — over a tribute to Little Falls' most famous son.

The French Flag Flap

Aviator Charles Lindbergh grew up in Little Falls, and a French flag flies at a city park, to honor the Paris suburb where Lindbergh ended his history-making trans-Atlantic flight.

"I think the flag should come down," says Craig Johnson, whose daughter is awaiting deployment to Iraq. "The French don't support the United States at all."

Dave DeRosier, the town barber, sees things differently.

"I wish they'd leave the flag alone and forget about that," DeRosier said. "There's a lot of bigger problems than worrying about the flag."

Ultimately, the City Council voted 6 to 2 Monday tokeep the flag in Le Bourget Park over the vehement objections of sometownspeople.

The flag, like other French products became a target of public frustration that was particularly touchy in LittleFalls, home of many veterans and also many people with family andfriends in France.

From Weddings to High School Plays

At the wedding reception of Army reservist Chad Turner and his bride Molly at the Little Falls VFW hall, the best man ends his toast to the newlyweds with a toast to "the men and women on the other side of the world, fighting for you and me."