Contributed by Four County Electric Membership Corporation
Oliver Gause was born and raised in Bladenboro, NC. The son of hardworking mill workers, Oliver and his family lived in an area of town referred to as The Cotton Mill Hill. This ‘hill’ was, in reality, a village containing company-owned houses that were home to hundreds of mill workers and their families. While hardworking and responsible people, the Hill residents were often looked down upon by the wealthier areas of town.
Growing up, Oliver admitted he did just enough to get by in school, but he knew in his gut, “I was going to grow up and do something.” In 1968, just days after graduating from Bladenboro High School, Oliver was drafted into the Army, leaving behind The Hill and Ellen, his high school sweetheart.
Like many of his peers, Oliver was sent to Vietnam, where he spent twelve months as an RTO (Radio Transmitter Operator). During the Vietnam War, odds were not on a radio operator’s side. Between the radio and the batteries, the radiomen carried an extra 30 lbs on their backs. The antenna added an additional problem. While they weren’t heavy, they did paint a target on the operator. Oliver said the enemy kept an eye out for those antennas because, “The enemy knew if the radioman was there, an officer was nearby. And if you take out the radioman, you remove the ability for the unit to communicate.”
Oliver finished his term in the military in 1970 as a Sergeant E-5 and married Ellen a few months later. Eventually, he attended Bladen Community College for law enforcement, where he excelled. Oliver worked for several law enforcement agencies during his career, ultimately becoming the Chief of Police in White Lake. He then served as the magistrate of Bladen County, where he retired in 2010.
In addition to his law enforcement career, Oliver served 12 years in the North Carolina National Guard and was Post Commander of VFW Post #8062. He now serves as a trustee for the VFW Post and is an active member of the Disabled American Veterans, Ch. 99.
Near Memorial Day 2016, Oliver relaxed in his recliner and thought, “What can I do for those veterans who passed on and their families?” That was the beginning of Oliver’s mission to ensure all veterans buried in Bladen County have an American Flag placed at their gravesite. His friend, Layton Dowless, the ‘Tombstone Man’ of Columbus County, helped him procure the government-issued markers, and the journey began. He started by visiting cemeteries, clipboard in hand, recording names and service information about every veteran he found. There are now over 2,000 graves in Bladen County marked with the American Flag, and his search continues. He finds them through obituaries, by word of mouth, the historical society and from walking the cemeteries or ‘graveyarding’ as he calls it. Documenting these veterans is a family project – Oliver brings home his handwritten notes and Ellen maintains the meticulous records in her spreadsheets and in the growing stack of binders.
Maintaining these 2,000 sites is an ongoing process. The flags only last 3-4 months, deteriorating from constant exposure to rain, sun, and wind. Oliver said he keeps a steady supply of flags in his truck so he’s always ready to replace one when necessary. The flags are relatively inexpensive, costing $1.75 each, but it does add up. Funding for the flags comes from churches, businesses, and individuals. Oliver said he was once approached by a woman who said, “Are you the flag man? If so, I want to give you some money because I appreciate what you’re doing.”
While there’s no doubt this project is a blessing to those families whose loved ones now have a flag flying proudly over their gravesite, Oliver says it is a constant blessing to him as well. While it’s difficult for him to speak about his time in Vietnam, he calls this project his therapy. “It is my way to honor those who gave everything.”
If you would like to contribute to this project or know of gravesites in need of a flag, please contact Oliver Gause at 910-862-9543.
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