Wreaths From China Anger U.S. Veteran's Son

DIXON (CBS13) — The Sacramento Valley National Cemetery decorated gravesites in wreaths to honor U.S. veterans, but a closer look has one veteran's son calling it a dishonor.

What's in place beyond the gates looks like a touching tribute just in time for the holidays. That's what Craig Allen thought at first. But on the other side of the wreaths' red ribbons is a sticker that reads "Made In China."

That's a decoration declaration that's not sitting well with Allen.

"I think it's a desecration of the graves," he told CBS13. "It's an incredible insult."

He brought his mother for her first visit to his father's grave. It would've been 1st Lt. Bradford H Allen's 89th birthday. He was a B-24 bomber pilot.

"I think my father would be quite upset," Allen said about a field of fallen heroes who fought for freedom now being adorned with just one of what's become billions of dollars in Chinese imports.

"Pure corporate greed where they saved a few pennies on each wreath and made these wreaths in china, in Communist China," Allen said.

CBS13 asked the Department of Veterans Affairs for a response, and it said the decorations are all funded through donations.

"The wreaths are purchased and placed on the graves out of respect and gratitude of the volunteers," said Josephine

So it was a good deed with an unintended consequence. The global reach of China's booming economy hit a little too close to home for the holidays.

"Somebody somewhere should've said uh-oh," Allen said. "I mean I'm not some right wing wacko here. I'm about as liberal as they come. But we need to make a stand. Some things need to be made in America."