Volunteers work in the night planting 1,000 flags to honor fallen heroes

BOSTON, Mass. —

A Memorial Day tradition in Boston was made possible by a group of volunteers who worked through the night to honor our fallen heroes.

Each Memorial Day for the past decade, the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund plants more than 37,000 flags on Boston Common – one flag for each fallen service member from Massachusetts since the Revolution.

The project requires hundreds of volunteers, and due to coronavirus precautions and guidelines, organizers initially canceled the event this year.

To keep the tradition alive, a group of 10 volunteers worked carefully overnight to plant 1,000 flags on the Common.

Each flag in the scaled-back display is 6 feet apart from the others, and organizers hope the smaller spectacle will minimize the number of people who visit the garden.

People who plan on stopping by to see the display are asked to wear masks at all times, stay a safe distance away from others, and be respectful.

In addition to the flag garden, people were encouraged to create their own patriotic displays at home this year and share photos online using the hashtag #HeroesFlagGarden.

A ceremony began at 7:30 a.m., where Governor Charlie Baker spoke briefly about the significance of the flag display on the Garden. A wreath laying and a rendition of “Taps" also happened.

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