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Soldiers Place 234,000 Flags at Arlington Cemetery for Memorial Day (photos)

By Jeff Malet • May 25, 2018 0 1241

Sergeant First Class Daniel Brooks plants an American flag at the gravesite of Spanish American war veteran Victor Homer Peabody.

In a tradition known as “Flags In,” roughly 1000 soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) placed 234,000 American flags at the final resting place of service members interred at Arlington National Cemetery, on Thursday May 24, in preparation for Memorial Day. (This includes flags placed at the columbarium/niche wall.) Each flag had to be centered and placed in a specific spot, exactly one foot in front of each headstone. Flags were also placed at the Tomb of the Union Soldier, and at the other memorials inside the cemetery.

The tradition of placing flags dates back to 1948. The entire operation would take about 4 hours. “The soldiers aren’t in any hurry to rush through this, it means a lot to them,” said public affairs officer Major Rob Lodewick. The flags will remain throughout the holiday weekend until Tuesday, prior to the cemetery opening.

View Jeff Malet’s photos from Arlington National Cemetery by clicking on the photo icons below.

: Approximately 900 members of the the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (the Old Guard) marches into Arlington Cemetery, each one carrying 25 flags. The regiment is the oldest active duty regiment in the US Army, having been first organized as the First American Regiment in 1784.

: In a tradition known as “Flags In,” members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) placed American flags at approximately 234,000 headstones of U.S. soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery, on Thursday May 24, 2018 in preparation for Memorial Day.

: Sergeant Clarissa Velazquez-Cruz plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member.

: Specialist Gabriel Wilson plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member.

: Staff Sergeant Chris Holub plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member.

: Specialist Dominique Taylor plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member.

: Specialist Adryan Ramli plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member

: Specialist Adryan Ramli plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member.

: Sergeant Kevin Kocik plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member.

: PFC Jacob Wellman plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member.

: Staff Sergeant Chris Holub plants an American flag at the gravesite of an American service member.

: Sergeant First Class Daniel Brooks plants an American flag at the gravesite of Spanish American war veteran Victor Homer Peabody.

: Medal of Honor winner John Franklin Baker Jr. was a United States Army Master Sergeant who served in the Vietnam War

: In a tradition known as “Flags In,” members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) placed American flags at approximately 234,000 headstones.