Flag placement held at Marietta National Cemetery
May 28—More than 800 people gathered at Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday to honor fallen soldiers by settings flags on their graves.
The annual event included Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and their families, who helped place flags in remembrance of fallen soldiers at more than 18,000 graves at the cemetery. As they stuck the flags in the ground, the scouts read the name on each fallen soldier's gravestone and saluted in respect.
Before the flag placement, an on-stage program featured keynote speakers, the Georgia Society, and the Sons of the American Revolution's Georgia chapter, as scouts and their families watched.
Allen Koronkowski, president of the National Memorial Day Association of Georgia, noted the importance of continuing to remember the fallen soldiers so that future generations remember the sacrifices made to preserve freedom.
"It is said that a man dies three deaths. The first step is when their body dies. The second death is when the body is laid into the ground, and their third death is when their name is no longer spoken on this earth," Koronkowski said. "We're here today to make sure that that third death never happens for our fallen men and women."
The Sons of the American Revolution Georgia Chapter helped to present the colors on Saturday and did a rifle salute where they fired off blanks in unison.
The event was one that featured a strong sense of patriotism among those in the crowd, with many attendees dressed in red, white and blue.
With their placement of flags, the scouts prepared the cemetery for the official Memorial Day service set to be held Monday. The service at noon Monday is free and will feature patriotic music, posting of the colors, prayers, a gun salute and various speakers.
