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World War II veteran headstone found in trash and moved to cemetery

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A Facebook post sparked outrage when it showed a World War II veteran's tombstone laying underneath a Stockton overpass, among trash left behind by transients. 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A Facebook post sparked outrage when it showed a World War II veteran's tombstone laying underneath a Stockton overpass, among trash left behind by transients.

Khris Cook, a war veteran himself, heard about the tombstone from his wife who saw the post. Like many of the others who commented, he was upset seeing it left behind like trash.

"I couldn't see something like that, laying here, getting disgraced, broken up, graffitied," said Cook. "It's very disrespectful."

Cook came down to pick it up himself. He dropped it off at the American Legion Ed Stewart Post 803, a place he felt it would be safe.

However, the veterans there had no idea where it belonged either. According to the Stockton Record, the tombstone was supposed to be picked up by an employee from the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery months ago. That never happened.

"It didn't get to us, said Cal Zamora, an employee of the cemetery. "This is the first we've heard about it."

After ABC10's phone call, the cemetery sent someone to pick up the tombstone right away. Since it's no longer being used at the cemetery it came from, they will be disposing it, but in a proper and respectful way.

"It's kind of a symbol, said Zamora, "making sure that we have a hand in that whole process, from carving that stone to the end of it ... ensure it's not being disrespected or defaced in any way -- handling it with respect and dignity."

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