‘Old Guard’ Places 260,000 Flags at Arlington Cemetery for Memorial Day/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Nearly 1,500 soldiers from 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment placed more than 260,000 American flags at gravesites inside Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day. The annual “Flags In” tradition has been carried out by The Old Guard every year since 1948. Each flag is carefully positioned one boot length from every headstone in a mission completed in under four hours.
Arlington Flags In Quick Looks
- The Old Guard placed over 260,000 flags at Arlington.
- Nearly 1,500 soldiers participated in the mission.
- The annual tradition is called “Flags In.”
- Every grave at Arlington receives an American flag.
- Soldiers finish the operation in under four hours.
- The tradition dates back to 1948.
- The cemetery spans 639 acres.
- Tomb Sentinels place the flag at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- Flags remain through Memorial Day weekend.
- Arlington expects thousands of visitors during the holiday.
Deep Look
The Old Guard Honors Fallen Service Members
Before sunrise on May 21, soldiers from 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to begin one of the military’s most solemn Memorial Day traditions — “Flags In.”
The mission involves placing a small American flag at every gravesite across Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
This year, soldiers placed flags at more than 260,000 headstones spread across the cemetery’s 639 acres.
Each flag is positioned with exact precision:
- One boot length from the headstone
- Perfectly centered
- Straight and aligned with surrounding graves
Despite the enormous scale of the operation, soldiers complete the task in fewer than four hours.
What Is The Old Guard?
The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” is the Army’s oldest active-duty infantry unit, tracing its history back to 1784.
The regiment serves as the Army’s official ceremonial unit and carries out:
- Military funerals
- White House ceremonies
- Pentagon events
- Wreath-laying ceremonies
- Security missions in Washington, D.C.
The regiment has led the Flags In tradition every Memorial Day since 1948.
Over time, service members from other military branches have joined the effort, though The Old Guard continues coordinating the operation.
Precision Without an Audience
Unlike parades or public ceremonies, Flags In is performed quietly before most visitors arrive.
Some teams work rapidly in formation. Others pause briefly at certain headstones before continuing.
The atmosphere inside Arlington during the operation is often described as solemn, reflective and deeply personal.
Staff Sgt. Robin Barnhill previously described the mission as a reminder that Memorial Day is more than simply a holiday weekend.
“It wasn’t given. It was earned,” Barnhill said of the freedoms honored during Memorial Day observances.
Special Graves Receive Individual Attention
Several notable gravesites receive personalized flag placements during the operation.
Among them:
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- John F. Kennedy gravesite
- William Howard Taft gravesite
Tomb Sentinels specifically place the flag at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
A Personal Mission for Soldiers
For many service members participating, the tradition carries personal emotional meaning.
Some soldiers have relatives buried at Arlington and know their loved ones will receive a flag as part of the mission.
Others view the task as an act of remembrance and service that honors generations of military sacrifice.
The mission also reflects the Army’s ceremonial precision training, which emphasizes discipline, consistency and respect in every movement.
Arlington Opens to Visitors During Memorial Day Weekend
Once the operation is complete, Arlington National Cemetery remains open to the public throughout Memorial Day weekend.
Visitors walk among the rows of graves marked by American flags, creating one of the nation’s most recognizable Memorial Day images.
The flags remain in place through Monday, May 25, before soldiers later remove them with the same careful precision used during placement.
For many Americans, the sight of more than 260,000 flags stretching across Arlington leaves a lasting impression about the scale of military sacrifice.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.