Flag, video program help mark Veterans Day
Published 3:17 pm Monday, November 10, 2008
By By Lisa Tindell and Kerry Whipple Bean
For Raymond Jamieson, who returned from Iraq just months ago, this Veterans Day will be an emotional day.
Jamieson was one of 38 veterans invited to take part in a special video production now airing on Brewton TV on area cable Channel 6.
In another timely tribute, veterans who work at T.R. Miller Mill were on hand to receive a new flag last week.
In the City of Brewton video, each veteran says a line from the Johnny Cash song “Ragged Old Flag.”
Jamieson and other veterans said they were honored to be asked to take part in the program, which also includes a history of Veterans Day and patriotic imagery.
Brewton Community Development Coordinator Steve Yuhasz said the city was glad to find a way to honor veterans. The city also produced a patriotic program for Memorial Day earlier this year.
Brewton Mayor Ted Jennings said his wife Susan came up with the idea to have the veterans each say a line from the Cash song.
The veterans who took part in the project were invited to a special reception at city hall last Tuesday - a crowded day at city hall as many residents were trying to vote at the civic center.
Jennings admitted that when the city scheduled the reception, officials did not realize just how many people would be trying to vote that day. But, he said, the setting was appropriate, considering how many veterans have died to protect the right to vote.
Veterans appearing in the video include:
Raymond Jamieson - Army; Fred Barton - Army; Gary Hill - USAF; John Angel - Army; Ed Glaize - USAF; Buddy Samuel – Navy; Doug O'Barr - Army; Lee Selman - Marine Corps; Ronnie Thompson - Marine Corps; Tommy Blackmon - USAF; John Martin - Army; Jason Yoder – Army; Russell Martin - Marine Corps; George Coale - Marine Corps; Charles Jackson - Marine Corps; Bernie Wall - Army; Wilburn Perry - Army; Jim Weaver - USAF; Rudy Yuhasz - Navy; JW Blankenship - USAF; Donald Ellis - Army; Pete Diurno - USAF; Roy Wedell - Marine Corps; Bruce Long - Navy; John Wagner - Marine Corps; Ed Seward - USAF; Ron Headley - Army; Hugh Miller - USAF; Roland Gibson - Army; Linda Moultrie – Army; Bert Bounds - Marine Corps; Ray Robertson - USAF; Tommy Smith – Army; Ed Chavers - Army, Navy Retired; David Mathis - Army Ray Langham - Army; Tom Barrickman - Navy; Terry Clark - Army
The program will air on Channel 6 at 8:30 p.m. through Veterans Day.
Meanwhile, veterans at T.R. Miller Mill Company have the honor of knowing the flag flying on the company pole is being done so in their honor.
The flag was donated for the honor by Willie Crutchfield of the Modern Woodmen of the World organization.
T.R. Miller Mill president Danny White expressed thanks to veterans who are employed at the mill for their service to the company and to the country.
The flag was raised in honor of the veterans during a brief ceremony Wednesday and will continue to fly on the grounds of T.R. Miller Mill in their honor.
Those veterans honored with the flag and ceremony included Wendell Jacks - Navy, 1966-1972; Joey Pate - Army, 1969-1972; Aubrey Peacock - Army, 1966-1968; Sammy Parker - Army, 1978-1984; Jack Sansom - Navy, 1968 -1969; Carl Ruch - Marine Corps, 1967-1969; Billy Bryan - Air Force, 1972-1976; Alan Lowery - Army, 1985-1987; Richard Booker - Army, 1985-198 and Army National Guard until 1992; Renee Lawson - Navy, 1981-1983; Larry Jones - Marine Corps, 1965-1968; Calvin Madden - Army - 1969-1973; Wayne Phillips - Army, 1987-1989; Archie Bradley - Army National Guard, 1975-1999.