Thousands visit Memorial Day flag garden on Boston Common

BOSTON — Under clear, warm skies visitors thronged to Boston Common Sunday -- the time dwindling to take in this year’s Memorial Day flag display.

This year, the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund planted more than 37,000 flags.

“I’ve been coming for quite a few years to this and I think when I started I think the number was as low as 33-thousand,” said Carol Smith. “Just a tribute to these wonderful people who literally know what a democracy and freedom is.”

Each flag represents a Massachusetts service member killed in action since the Revolutionary War.

“It’s heart-wrenching,” said Carol Israel. “It’s so sad... so sad.”

The flags will remain in place at the Common through Wednesday due to rain predicted in the weather forecast. Home Base asked the public for help removing the flags over their lunch hour that day.

“Last Week, more than 600 volunteers spent a couple of hours planting these flags – Wednesday we only need a fraction of that and we can do our work retiring the flag garden within an hour or so,” said Michael Allard, Chief Operating Officer, Home Base. “With the community’s help, we can do it in an hour but any amount of time the public can give would be amazing.”

Volunteers are asked to meet at the display on the Common, immediately adjacent to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument near Charles and Beacon Street, at noon on Wednesday.

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