Hundreds of volunteers are expected in Bourne to plant 50,000 flags at a military veteran's cemetery that until now has forbidden flags on the markers.
Sgt. Joe Hancock of New London, Conn., a member of the 256 Firefighter Detachment of the Connecticut National Guard, along with other volunteers and members of veteran organizations from the New London area places flags at the graves of veterans at St. Mary Cemetery in New London Thursday, May 26, 2011. The New London area veteran organizations will also place flags at Cedar Grove Cemetery and Gardner Cemetery in New London in time for the Memorial Day weekend. (AP Photo/The Day, Dana Jensen)BOURNE, Mass. (AP) — Hundreds of volunteers are expected in Bourne to plant 50,000 flags at a military veteran's cemetery that until now has forbidden flags on the markers.
The effort Saturday at the Massachusetts National Cemetery was organized by the family of Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti, a Medal of Honor recipient killed in Afghanistan in 2006.
Monti's aunt, Fran Monti-Harring, told the Cape Cod Times the family wanted to see a flag on her nephew's grave, and it seemed fitting to also honor all the veterans.
The cemetery was designed to display rows of flags along the road in, but not near its flat markers, so it's easier to maintain the grounds. Under a new agreement, the flags can be placed at markers on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and removed a week later.