NORMAN —On Saturday night, the names of more than 200 soldiers from Richmond County were carved into stone in the Field of Honor.
Donald Simmons, owner of Magnolia 23 in Asheboro and a former resident who now runs a restaurant, came up with the idea for the veterans monument. He wanted to stay anonymous, though.
An individual came into our council meeting one night, around a year ago, and told us that he had a dream: he wanted to build a Field of Honor in Norman, his home town.
Simmons not only thought of the tribute, but he also paid for it.
At its meeting in May 2023, the council gave the project the go-ahead. In March 2024, the project began on the land next to the Norman Stage behind Town Hall.
Councilmembers charged $2.50 per letter to sell the spots for the names.
People “jumped right on it,” Parsons said, adding that they wanted the names of their loved ones to be on the monument.
She said, “From now on, this is where we will always go to see our loved ones.”
There is a monument in the Field of Honor that has the names of local soldiers who served in the Army, National Guard, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. People on the Norman Field of Honor Committee read those names out loud.
On the brick front, there are seals for the town, the Order of the Purple Heart, and each branch of the military. There is an eagle sitting on each of the front ends.
Behind the monument, there are two concrete benches. There is a plaque close that says the flagpole was given by the Class of 1970 at Ellerbe High School. Plus, there are two little streams in the back.
The stone block already has more than 240 names on it, and Parsons said that the town is making a new list of people to add.
One for Lonnie Hoopaugh and one for James E. Goins is set up in front of the Field of Honor.
Simmons was given a key to the town as a reward for his hard work.
Smith said, “It is a pleasure and an honor to do this.” Everywhere I go, I never forget where I come from.
He always told me, “Don’t forget where you came from; if you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know where you came from.” Simmons went on. “And we’re going the right way.”
The ceremony began with the Raider Battalion Army JROTC color guard presenting the flags and the AMVETS Post 316 firing a rifle salute. The ceremony lasted a little more than an hour.
Baylee Atkins rode a horse across the field with a flag from each branch of service after both monuments were unveiled. The flags were given by Atkins to JROTC cadets, who then gave them to a soldier from each branch to put around the monument to Hoopaugh and Goins.
Jace Reid Burroughs also sang three songs at the event: “The Star Spangled Banner,” “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, and “Ballad of the Green Berets” by Barry Sadler.
Col. Douglas Boyd and Command Sgt. Major Thomas Capel, both from northern Richmond County and soldiers of the Army, spoke at the event.