OMAHA, Neb. -- A Texas man visiting his father's Omaha grave over Memorial Day weekend was shocked to see an emblem of military service removed from the gravesite. This was no case of vandalism, but instead a case of safety.

A bronze emblem from the American Legion marked the deceased man's World War I service, but Holy Sepulcher Cemetery removed it.

The Texan wasn't alone. Terry Bruning, with the American Legion Post 1, said several families have expressed the same concern. Bruning considers the emblems' removal a blow to military service and a blow to patriotism itself.

"It struck me odd a cemetery decided not to recognize something meaningful to a family," Bruning said.

The military stars have been removed from all Catholic cemeteries in Omaha. General manager Jeff Sterba said the emblems' removal was in no way intended to be disrespectful to veterans. It's a matter of safety.

"As machinery hits that, whether it be a mower or a weed eater, those items end up turning into projectiles and have a potential of hurting somebody," Sterba said.

It happened once, so the cemeteries made a change. It isn't just the bronze stars, but anything sticking out of the ground near graves.

"If there is an emblem or something that wants to be left permanently, we ask that it be affixed to the marker that's there," Sterba said.

Sterba said Catholic cemeteries honor military heroes in many ways. On Memorial Day, families can decorate graves, but the items must be removed so that maintenance workers can mow the lawn without hurting anyone.

Most cemeteries have restrictions on grave decorations for maintenance and safety reasons.