280,000 flags placed at gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery
ARLINGTON, Va. - Thousands of soldiers are honoring our fallen heroes as Memorial Day weekend approaches.
Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment took part in the time-honored "Flags-In" tradition, placing American flags at the gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery.
During the ceremony, more than 1,000 Old Guard Soldiers placed a U.S. flag in front of more than 280,000 headstones as well as in front of the columbariums "to account for more than 400,000 interred,” according to the cemetery.
The event also includes a special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
More than 280,000 American flags are placed at the gravesites before Memorial Day each year. The tradition began in 1948, according to the cemetery.