Operation Headstone: Honoring those who served and no longer with us on Memorial Day
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A mission that started in 2020 to mark the grave of every veteran in Kern County without a headstone has been reinstated.
It’s called Operation Headstone and was started by the former President of Greenlawn Funeral Homes, Jim LaMar.
Starting Memorial Day weekend, volunteers will place flags on unmarked graves at four cemeteries including Greenlawn Northeast, Greenlawn Southwest, Hillcrest and Union. The list of new grave markers will then go to the Kern County Veterans Department to be finalized. There are five headstones in the works already.
LaMar said the thought that someone might walk by that grave and not even know they exist is chilling. It can cost $1,000 for each headstone, but the cemeteries are waving installation fees, according to LaMar.
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“I think between all of our cemeteries it wouldn’t be surprising we didn’t reach 4 or 500,” said LaMar.
The Historic Union Cemetery even honors the memory of the fallen from the Civil War such as Private Oliver Peed, the last Civil War Veteran in Kern County.
Vietnam Veteran, Ed Gaede, said at the kickoff ceremony on Thursday, “Anybody that helped purchase our freedom deserves that final legacy.”
Gaede fought in Vietnam and fought the stigma. Now, he said he’s fighting for other veterans as an advocate.
“A lot of us came back and never wanted to talk about our service,” said Gaede.
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Singer and actress, Evangeline Heber said her great grandfather Hubba served in the military. She said she sings in his honor and other vets who gave their lives so we can live free.
“I like how it talked about all our veterans that served and how they loved our country more than themselves,” said Heber.
LaMar said the ultimate goal is to expand Operation Headstone to all of Bakersfield, and then the nation. That way every Memorial Day, all the fallen on the field of combat will be remembered.
“Memorial Day is a day to serve the people who died and our beautiful country,” said Heber.
LaMar said the order for the gravestones could be turned into the Veterans Services Department 30 days after the unmarked grave count.
Operation Headstone starts Memorial Day weekend.
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