Soldiers honor the fallen at Arlington National Cemetery
Photo: 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
WASHINGTON - Stirring photos show soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard," performing their annual tradition of placing flags at each of the headstones in Arlington National Cemetery.
According to the regiment, the tradition of "Flags-In" began in 1948 as a reminder of what Memorial Day is truly about: honoring and remembering the sacrifices of service members.
Over the course of several hours on Thursday, approximately one thousand soldiers with "The Old Guard" placed 230,000 flags - one for every headstone in the cemetery.
“For more than 60 years, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (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 just prior to the Memorial Day weekend,” says the Arlington National Cemetery website.