900 soldiers place 243k flags at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day
Every year before Memorial Day, around 1,000 soldiers fan out across Arlington National Cemetery. Each soldier from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) carries hundreds of small flags with them, each flag representing something much bigger - honoring the legacy of our fallen heroes, veterans and their families.
It took only a few hours on Thursday for 900 members of The Old Guard to place flags in front of 228,000 headstones and at the bottom of about 7,000 niche rows in the cemetery's Columbarium Courts and the Niche Wall.
Each flag must be centered and placed in a specific spot, exactly one foot in front of each headstone. To honor those who are cremated, flags are placed inside the Columbarium and along niche walls. In total, 243,000 flags covered the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery by the end of the day.
Watch the video above to see the tradition unfold.
The tradition dating back to 1948 is called "Flags In." The Old Guard has honored America's fallen heroes by placing American flags at gravesites for service members buried at both Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery for more than sixty years.
Army Chaplains place flags in front of the four memorials and the headstones located on Chaplain's Hill along with flags at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Approximately 14,000 flags are placed at the Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery.
All flags are removed after Memorial Day, before each cemetery opens to the public.
Flag or not, the legacy, sacrifice and service of these 400,000 lives will never be forgotten.
While we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, we continue to honor those who have served and continue to serve. The television program Salute to Veterans airs on Memorial Day, offering insightful discussion, resources and solutions for the ongoing issues our military veterans face daily.
Salute to Veterans pays tribute to our nation’s 3.3 million active duty service members, 22 million veterans and their families during important military/patriotic holidays and commemorations throughout the year.
The Salute to Veterans Series highlights the stories of veterans who are former professional athletes, who served their country, and then broke through obstacles when back in civilian life. The veterans featured in the series all serve as leaders in their communities and are committed to seeing that their fellow veterans do the same.
Visit Salute to Veterans to learn more and to find specific viewing times in your area.
