1,000 Words: Flag day for dead soldiers
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
One characteristic about the original colonies: They have a lot of dead soldiers to remember on Memorial Day.
Massachusetts, where the first shot was fired in a war that would create the United States has had 37,268 of its citizens die in war, stretching back to the Revolution.
So, on Boston Common, volunteers placed 37,268 flags in the ground.
Organizers had hoped people would contribute $1 to sponsor a flag -- the money going to a fund to help families of military members killed in war. But at last check, they've raised only half the amount they had intended to.
Related: How many Americans have died in U.S. wars? (PBS Newshour)
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
