SAN BENITO — It’s worn.
It’s thin.
It’s faded.
But, for San Benito’s Jim Wilson, a Veteran of two wars and obvious lover of America, it means everything.
The 89-year-old Wilson, with the help of neighbors, including attorney Daniel Robles, managed to attach his 48-star American flag to the pole in front of his home and fly it high. That was the morning of Veterans Day and Wilson had a wide smile once the flag made it to the top of the pole.
“It feels good,” he said. “I feel fuzzy inside.”
Wilson raises it during every national holiday, even if it is a little faded. If it’s windy or there’s bad weather, Wilson takes it down.
The American flag has a special meaning for Wilson, who served in both Vietnam and Korea during a 25-year Army career.
The patriotic American is quick to point out the importance of its symbol.
“It is the foundation of all my political beliefs,” he said
The one flown in front of his home is not just any flag. The 1949 flag means more to Wilson. It was the one he saluted when he was younger, in school.
“It stands for a time when a Democrat president saved this country and Roosevelt did,” he said. “We were in a bigger slump, there were less of us in quantity, but the quality was better. We have a lot of problems in our country and I like to go back and remember those days.”
The 48-star flag Wilson has in his possession could be historic. A friend gave him the flag 20 years ago and claimed it flew over the capitols in both Texas and Arkansas.
“I was told that, but there is no way to know if it is true,” he added.
What he does know for sure is the country is in turmoil right now and the recent election was the type he had never seen in his lifetime.
“I have never heard politicians talk about each other the way they did in this election,” he said.
No issues were discussed, but most people knew the problems with both candidates.
“We had no other choice,” he said.
However, the West Texas native who was adopted and grew up in Oklahoma in the 1920s before returning to Texas, believes things in the country must get better as more people decide on work over handouts and more efforts are made to ensure Veterans are taken care of health wise.
He says when he enlisted in the Army, he found a home. That was after he attended college and struggled to find employment.
“Jobs were hard to come by and I thought there ought to be something I could do,” he said with a smirk and a self-deprecating humor. “So, I went into the service. I am here today because of it and am reasonably happy. I may not be smart, but I am happy.” The patriotic American is quick to point out the importance of symbol.
After spending winters in San Benito and some time in Canada, Wilson eventually moved down to the Valley permanently.
As he looked up at the flag in front of his house, he called it an antique, but also spoke to the symbolism of all American flags.
“I think we need it as a reminder,” he said. “Because that is our flag.”
