Local family receives special replacement burial flag after losing the first flag in a house fire
A military family from Talladega County lost a treasured heirloom in a recent house fire, but received a unique replacement.
Back in December 2025, Jessica Benton and her husband lost their home to a fire which also destroyed Jessica’s father’s burial flag. Her father, Gerald Davidson Jr., was drafted and served in the Vietnam War. He passed away back in 1999.
Jessica called the Alabama Veteran’s Association to try to get a replacement. She had no idea how special it would be. ADVA Commissioner Jeff Newton worked with Senator Tuberville’s office to give Jessica an American flag that flew at the U.S. Capitol.
“I knew about the flag, but I had no idea that it would presented like this and I had no idea that it would be one that had been flown over the Capitol with all the certifications,” stated Jessica Benton. ” We also received some coins, so it’s truly been a surprise and we are very grateful for everyone that was involved in getting it here and getting us here and helping with it. It’s been a great experience today.”
Jessica’s husband, who is in the Alabama National Guard, was deployed to Fort Bliss in Texas shortly after the house fire. He will deploy to Africa sometime in March.
