An American flag – stashed in a drawer and left behind in an Oakdale home – could soon be returned to the family of the veteran it honors.

A unique search is on to locate family members of veteran Harold Raymond Payton; he was born on Jan. 19, 1928 and passed away on Jan. 8, 2000.

Downtown business owner Tara LaMott, who operates the Locals Only Barbershop on North Second Avenue in Oakdale, had been displaying the flag in her shop but said she felt the need to get it back to where it rightfully belongs.

The story is making the rounds of social media and word of mouth is also getting the information out there, hoping to find a local connection to Payton.

According to LaMott, she found the flag about four years ago, when she moved into a house on River Avenue in Oakdale. It was in the garage, LaMott said, stuffed in the back of a dresser drawer, not property folded or protected.

LaMott and her roommate, an Army veteran, removed the flag from the dresser, folded it and put in in a case.

“I’ve been holding onto it because I have yet to find anyone who might want it or respect it the way I have,” LaMott said. “I cannot just toss it. Both of my grandfathers served, and it would be horrible to just let it go.”

Through a couple of different contacts, including the local Mid Cal Blue Star Moms organization, it has been learned that Payton was a CM3 in the US Navy and served in World War II. He is buried at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella.

LaMott said though it is a wonderful piece of décor that many have admired and that she was proud to display in her shop, she would like to see it returned to the family.

Longtime Oakdale resident, veteran Duke Cooper has also now joined the search effort, and said he hopes to find some of Payton’s relatives in order to return the flag.

If anyone has information about Harold Raymond Payton or knows any of his family members, they are asked to email the information to Cooper at veteransvoice2025@gmail.com