ROCKINGHAM — After nearly 30 years of placing flags on the graves of Richmond County veterans, Jimmy Brigman is passing the torch.
The Memorial Day tradition is being taken over, starting this year, by retired Air Force officer Ed O’Neal.
Brigman — injured in World War II and Korea, and a recipient of two Purple Hearts and the Silver Star — has been organizing the effort for nearly three decades.
As the volunteers walked through Richmond Memorial Park last May placing new flags, they also picked up three boxes of those that were torn and tattered.
“I enjoyed it and I will do anything to help Col. O’Neal,” he said. “I just thank the Lord that I was able to do it.”
O’Neal spent three years in the Army before making the switch to the Air Force, where he retired as a lieutenant colonel after more than 20 years in that branch.
“Memorial Day is more precious to me than any other day of the year,” he told the Daily Journal last year, adding that several significant life events — including quitting smoking — have happened during the holiday weekend. “It’s always been a special weekend.”
While working as a training adviser to the Saudi Air Force in 2004, O’Neal was wounded — being shot five times — after the compound he was at was attacked by Al Qaeda.
Three years later, also on Memorial Day weekend, he retired from the military.
“I bet when I pass away it’ll be on this weekend,” he joked.
In preparation for the annual event, O’Neal is looking for groups to adopt a cemetery — partly to get a count of veterans’ headstones so he’ll know how many flags are needed, and to help put them out, as there are more than 300 cemeteries in the county.
“This is our effort to go out and put flags on the graves of the veterans,” he said. “Our attempt is to honor the veterans.
Last year, O’Neal commented that just by looking at the veterans’ headstones, there was no way to tell what their service was, adding they could have been in the infantry or they could have been cooks.
“All you know is they left home, went away,” he said, “and served their country.”
O’Neal said some are associated with churches, while others are on private property, including being out in pastures.
“There’s no way we could go out and cover all of them,” he said. “You can’t be everywhere and you can’t know everything.”
Aside from the change in command, O’Neal has also set up flag fund with First Bank to help keep track of donations used to purchase the flags. It also allows donors to deposit directly into the account for American Veterans Chapter 316.
He said those writing checks should include “flag fund” in the comment section.
Earlier this month, O’Neal said they had raised $275.
“Any size donation is appreciated,” he said. “Some people give me $10 and that’s awesome.”
For more information, contact O’Neal at 910-995-1366.
Reach William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_Toler.