Well it turns out that American flag was never taken down because it was never up that pole to begin with - ever. The Americans did not liberate Bayeux, the British did. The empty flag is the flag of British troops, the Sherwood rangers and goes up once a year.
<a href="http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/sherwoodrangers01.JPG">Here is a more complete photo of those photos posted at the Dissident Frogman, with plaque at base of empty flagpole.</a>
<a href="http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/sherwoodrangers02.JPG">Here is the detail of the plaque at the base.</a>
I can't take credit for this knowledge, as usual the powerful Fark.com radar has picked up the latest post of a contrite blogger. The photos were found courtesy of Google.
http://www.rachellucas.com/archives/000688.html#000688
The only thing I can say is that this was a very sad (lamentable, not pathetic) thing for the blogger community to pick up on in the days leading up to the 4th of July.