‘Disheartening’: Lynn Police investigating ‘possible larceny’ of flowers from fallen Marine memorial

Lynn police are investigating the possible theft of six large flowerpots at the memorial for a fallen Marine.

L/Cpl. Bradley J. Campus, 21, of Lynn was one of 241 American service members killed in the Marine barracks bombings in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983.

Last October, while commemorating the 40th anniversary of the tragedy, Campus’s family members and local veterans attended the memorial’s dedication in Campus’s name near the Clark Street playground.

Marine veteran Charlie Griffin, a family friend who helped escort Campus’s body back home 40 years ago, was instrumental in getting the memorial installed and dedicated.

Just months after the dedication – in late February or early March – Griffin discovered the 50-pound flowerpots were missing and initially assumed city crews had put them into storage. But after recently inquiring, Griffin realized they had been stolen, he told Boston 25 News.

“Even though it was 40 years ago, it seems like it was yesterday. And even now, I get a little emotional thinking about him,” Griffin said. “It’s so disrespectful and dishonorable to do this. And it does hurt.”

The situation is painful for Campus’s family, too, including Lindsay Lundy, who was born months after her uncle was killed but grew up knowing about her uncle, a local hero.

“Some would say, ‘Oh, it’s just flowerpots.’ That’s not even the point,” Lundy said. “It’s the fact that this is Lynn’s hero, somebody that gave his life. We have this memorial dedicated to him, and for somebody to go in and presumptively steal, it’s very disheartening.”

Lundy said her uncle had a bright future that was cut short. Today he would be 62 and might have had a family and perhaps the bakery he dreamed of opening in the North End. While she honors the memory of a man she never met, she hopes whoever took the flowerpots or anyone who has information respects her uncle enough to come forward.

“Do the right thing,” Lundy said. “Do the right thing for Brad, for our family, and for the city.”

Lynn police are investigating the case as a “possible larceny” and asking anyone with information to call detectives at 781-477-3190.

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