Field of Heroes pays moving tribute to those who have made an impact on the lives of others

Overhead, dull gray skies threatened rain Monday morning, but the vacant lot adjacent to Roberts Machine & Supply on N.C. 55 West was ablaze with the colors of U.S. flags billowing in a brisk breeze.

Ashley Massey of Faison, her son Cole Gernale and his friend Mason Robinson walked among the flags following the second annual Field of Heroes dedication ceremony sponsored by the Mount Olive Exchange Club.

“We were just walking around, reading the names on the flags to see who had done what in the war,” Massey said. “It was interesting. We read one that had a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.”

Cole and Mason are members of Calypso Boy Scout Troop 42 that presented the colors and led the pledge of allegiance.

Massey said they were honored to be a part of the ceremony.

“I would say that it as very fun, and it was something new to experience with a lot of my friends,” Cole said. “Just being here is cool for me.

“I think a lot of people don’t really look at it as they should. I think they should really take a moment to realize what it means.”

The flags were purchased by people to honor their hero — living or dead — military, first responders, firefighters, healthcare professionals, teachers or anyone else they considered their hero.

On May 10, volunteers set the flags up in rows, each row designated with a letter to make it convenient for people to find the flags representing their loved ones.

Following Monday’s ceremony, which also celebrated Memorial Day, they were able to take their flag home with them along with the pole topper, display pole, donor tag and re-bar.

Flags representing each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces — Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force and Coast Guard — as well as one in honor of those missing in action or prisoners of war were on display.

The crowd of 117 was larger than last year’s attendance of about 80, said Belinda Parent, Exchange Club president.

“We did not sell as many (flags) this year as we did last year, but we also changed it up a little bit to where if you sponsored anything above the Friends of the Field, they received at least one flag with their sponsorship all the way up to our Presenting Sponsors who received five flags,” she said.

A mist was falling as late as about 9:30 a.m. Monday while the set up was being completed for the ceremony’s 11 a.m. start.

“We were praying for the rain to stop,” Parent said.

Monies raised through the fundraiser will go back into the community, she said.

“Everything we take in, we try to give back to the community,” Parent said. “Things like Americanism, we support the VFW and the American Legion and what they do. We put benches out in front of the Veterans Memorial across from the library. Any projects they have going on, they know they can lean on us for support.”

The club also supports the national Exchange organization’s main project of child abuse prevention by giving back to local school fundraisers, Parent said.

The club supports North Duplin’s efforts to purchase T-shirts for its Read to Succeed program.

“We also have donated teddy bears to the Children’s Advocacy Center and Mount Olive Police Department for them to keep in their cars for children involved in incidents, to give them a comfort bear.

“So there are lots of things that we donate to. Lifeline Sampson is one of the places we donate to. All the King’s Children, we donate to them as well. So everything we take in, we try to give back out.”

The club is already planning for next year’s Field of Heroes, she added.

“Within just a few months we will go ahead and have our sales online where people can go ahead and purchase flags for next year,” Parent said. “We already know what we need to do for next year.

“We have already started contacting who we need to, like who is going to take care of the flags for us next year. When we get closer to the date, we will set our speakers and things like that. This is an annual project for sure. We will do it as long as we can, as long as Mount Olive will have us do it.”

Speakers for the ceremony were Mount Olive VFW Post 9959 Commander James Benson, American Legion Post 103 Adjutant Barbara Seale, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Carlton Keen and N.C. State District 4 Rep. Jimmy Dixon.

“Memorial Day is a day of remembering, of memorializing so we don’t forget certain historical lessons,” said Keen, a Grantham native and Southern Wayne High School graduate. “One of the things that I like at gatherings of military veterans is the stories.

“I love to hear about what others did when they were in the service — where they were deployed, what they did; most importantly, if applicable, the battles they fought.”

Keen, a veteran combat fighter pilot, told his story, adding he was looking forward to hearing the stories of those attending the ceremony.

Keen completed Officer Training School and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Oct. 1996.

He retired from active duty in 2021 and is currently working as an electrical engineer in Civil Service at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

“I had an amazing time while I was active duty,” he said. “I have flown F-15 Strike Eagles including a tour at Seymour Johnson in the 335th Fighter Squadron. I flew F-16s in Korea and F-18 Super Hornets for the U.S. Navy.

“I will tell you, landing on a carrier is a kick in the pants. It is really fun. It is really scary. I have flown in combat. I have dropped bombs. I have deployed to the Middle East multiple times. I have been all over the world.”

All most people know of war is what they have seen in movies, Keen said.

“Only those people who have seen real combat know how harrowing it is,” he added. “That is why people who have experienced it are never the same. That is why people who have experienced it create fraternal organizations, have periodic reunions because they have been bonded to each other in an incredibly powerful way.

“I am proud to have served along side of you. Thank you for your service. Because war is hell, I appreciate your service even more.”

While taking a life is justifiable on the battlefield, it still leaves an indelible mark on the soul because the person killed is made in the image of God, he said.

“That is why we, as veterans, in whatsoever capacity we find ourselves should also help our political leadership, our fellow citizens remember that military violence is always the last resort,” Keen said.

He concluded, “You have volunteered to wear the nation’s cloth. Not everyone chose to stand the watch, but you did. I firmly believe if you are a veteran, one of your jobs is to help your countrymen memorialize, especially on days like this, the unvarnished nature of war — not in a grisly, morbid way, but in a sobering sacrificial way that warrants your fellow countryman’s attention.”

Nationwide, rural areas account for nearly 40 percent of the military recruits despite being only 20% of the population, said Dixon, whose district includes Duplin County and part of Wayne County.

Rural areas do their part and more, something that Dixon said he hopes continues.

“To begin my part of this program, as far as representing or remembering the heroes with this from John, Chapter 15, Verse 13: ‘Greater love have no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,’” Dixon said. “Their silent graves speak louder than any words that I, or we, can say from this podium.

“A hero is someone who has given his or her live to something bigger than one’s self.”

Dixon quoted Gen. George Patton who said “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”

Dixon also made reference to the book “1776” by David McCullough.

In the book, McCullough writes of George Washington and his army being trapped by British forces.

The troops were in rags and lacked winter clothing, he said. Washington was attempting to cross the Delaware River and many people at the time felt the war was over, Dixon said.

The river crossing was successful on Christmas night, 1776, and Washington went on to attack Trenton, New Jersey, in a ferocious house-to-house battle, he added.

On Dec. 31, Washington appealed to his soldiers, all of whose enlistments were up, to reenlist and they would receive a $10 bonus.

Initially none did, and Washington started to ride away, Dixon said. However, he turned back.

“This is what we know he said,” Dixon added. “‘My brave fellows, you have done all that I have asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected, but your country is at stake. Your wives, your houses and all that you hold dear.

“‘You have worn yourselves out with fatigue and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay one month longer, you will render that service in the cause of liberty and to your country which you can probably never do in any other circumstances. My good fellows, your country needs you.’”

He was asking them to give up their lives in a cause that everybody thought was over, Dixon explained.

This time, men began stepping forward, he said.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the time will come when a decision must be made for generations, especially this generation, when we will be asked to engage anew to save America,” Dixon said.

“I would like to talk to you about some of these heroes out here,” Benson said. “What does it take to be a hero?”

In culture and literature, heroes emerge as essential figures not only because of their daring deeds, but for outstanding attributes that people aspire to and want to integrate into their own lives, he said.

Those attributes include courage, empathy, integrity, resilience and humility, Benson added.

Heroism is not the sole providence of a few, but is a potential in all of us, he said.

“The stories we tell of these heroes represented here serve not just as entertainment, but as as a mirror reflecting virtues we cherish and the potential for greatness that resides in each of us,” Benson said.

“These heroes we celebrate today, with their courage, empathy, integrity, resilience and humility inspire us not only to dream of a better world, but to take up the mantle of heroism in our own lives, however mundane or ordinary our actions may be.”

In essence, these heroes teach that the true measure of strength is not in the might of one’s arm, but in the depth of one’s heart, he said.

“As we navigate our paths, let us carry with us the characteristics of these heroes, striving to make a difference — one act of courage, one act of empathy, one decision of integrity at a time,” Benson said.

Seale called the field of flags more than just a spectacle.

It is, she said, a deeply moving tribute to individuals who have left an imprint on our lives.

“It is personal heroes, both living and departed,” Seale said. “Memorial Day is a day of reflection, gratitude and remembrance.

“It is a day when we pause to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Their bravery, selflessness and unwavering commitment to the ideas of freedom and democracy remind us of the proud cost of our liberty. Without that, we would not have the freedoms that we have today.”

Each flag serves as a silent, but powerful testament to the lives they lived and the legacies they left behind, she added.

The Field of Heroes also invites people to think beyond the battlefield, Seale said.

“It asks us to recognize and celebrate the everyday heroes who shape our lives and communities,” she continued. “Perhaps your flag honors a parent who taught you the value of perseverance; a teacher who inspired you to dream big; or a first responder who stood by you in a moment of crisis.

“Heroes come in many forms. Today we celebrate all who have touched our lives, their courage, kindness and integrity.”

Seale encouraged audience to take moment to reflect on the stories the field of flags represents.

Each flag symbolizes life, legacy and a light that has guided others, and that other they are a reminder that heroism is not confirmed to grand gestures.

“It is found in the quiet acts of compassion; the steadfast dedication to a cause; and the willingness to stand up for what is right even when it is not easy,” she said. “Today, let us renew our commitment to honoring their sacrifices and upholding their values.

“Let us carry forward their legacy by striving to make our communities, nation and world a better place. Let’s also extend our gratitude to the Mount Olive Exchange Club for creating this extraordinary Field of Heroes.”

Parent gave the welcome and thanked everyone who helped or participated in the event.

“Thank you to all for being here today for this year’s Field of Heroes,” she said. “Your presence is a powerful reminder that honor, gratitude and remembrance are well alive in our community. As we look out at this breathtaking display of flags, each one stands proudly in the breeze.

“We are reminded of the courage, sacrifice and dedication of our heroes — those of whom are with us today and those who live on in our hearts. We dedicate these flags to every man and woman who has worn a uniform in service to our country and to our community.”

That, she said, includes veterans, both active duty and retired, first responders and public servants.

Some have given their lives, some continue to serve, but all have given something priceless — the freedom and safety people too often take for granted, Parent added.

“Let these flags stand as a living tribute to strength of their character and the depth of our gratitude,” Parent said. “May each flag be a symbol of their enduring legacy and may we leave here today inspired with some of the same courage and commitment they have shown us.

“May we never forget our heroes and continue to honor the ones in our everyday lives.”

Dwayne McKay, club president-elect, spoke about the club.

Calypso Boy Scout Troop 42 provided the color guard and led the pledge of allegiance and Camden Mitchell sang the national anthem.

Steve Wiggins, former chairman of the Mount Olive Veterans Memorial Committee, gave the invocation. and Violet Saviak, VFW Post 9959 Auxiliary president, gave the closing prayers.