While most Richmond County residents sleep in Monday, 87-year-old Jimmy Brigman will rise before the sun and ferry thousands of American flags to Richmond Memorial Park.
This marks the 26th year for Brigman’s annual custom. Each Memorial Day, he places the miniature flags on veterans’ gravesites at county cemeteries. The tradition started a quarter-century ago when a Memorial Day visit to the cemetery showed that few fallen vets were being honored.
“I would see two or three flags out there, one year I counted nine flags,” Brigman said. “That hurt me. I got out of my car and I counted over 100 veterans in five minutes.”
Brigman began collecting small American flags. The first year he began honoring Richmond County’s deceased veterans, he planted 500.
On Monday, the retired U.S. Army master sergeant and a team of volunteers will stake 5,000 into the grass at gravesites throughout Richmond County.
It’s a meaningful gesture of gratitude for all men and women who served in the armed forces, and especially those who sacrificed their lives fighting under the flag.
“I’m so glad I’ve done it,” Brigman said. “I’m not proud of myself, but I thank the Lord I’ve been able to do it.”
When his country needed him, Brigman answered the call. He served 23 years, 8 months in the Army, fighting in World War II and Korea, where he received two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star.
The Memorial Day tribute grew over the past two and a half decades. Veterans, especially those who served in World War II, began dying off. More flag-draped caskets were lowered into the ground.
More fallen comrades. More gravesites. More Memorial Day flags.
Brigman did his best to honor each veteran. When he realized he couldn’t do it alone, he started a flag fund and asked local veterans’ groups and businesses for contributions.
This year, Brigman collected $3,680, enough to buy 5,000 small flags and save a little money toward next year’s purchase.
Richmond County’s generosity bowled Brigman over. Someone out-of-state read a news story on the Daily Journal’s website and mailed him a check. Harrington Funeral Home and American Legion Post 49 lent their support.
“I don’t know how this happened,” Brigman said. “People have been so good to help out. It means a lot to me. I’m proud of the county. I’m proud of the people. I love them and I pray for them.”
We’re pretty proud, too. Folks like Brigman epitomize Richmond County’s capacity for good. So do every person and group who contributed to the Memorial Day flag fund.
In 2014, Brigman said the 25th Memorial Day trip to the cemetery might be his last. This year, he resumes the tradition with pride, gratitude and an eye toward an uncertain future.
“I just thank the Lord that he’s spared me to do it for this many years,” he said. “I’m 87 and still going. I’ve been blessed. If God’s with me and I’m all right next year, I’ll do it, but we don’t know from one day to another. I’ll have to see what happens.”
As we pause to remember the troops who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, we also extend our sincere gratitude to Brigman for his selfless service to honor those men and women.
We hope Richmond County continues to support his Memorial Day mission, and that when the day comes that Brigman can no longer carry the flag, others step in to raise Old Glory over each of our veterans’ final resting place.