More than 1,500 soldiers from The Old Guard placed American flags at more than 260,000 headstones at Arlington National Cemetery early Thursday morning, ahead of Memorial Day.

Members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, honor America’s fallen heroes by placing American flags at gravesites on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Arlington National ...

They place small American flags in front of more than 260,000 headstones, as well as at the bottom of 7,000 niche rows in the cemetery's Columbarium Courts and Niche Wall.

What does the US flag design represent? The flag's 13 red and white stripes represent the 13 original colonies. Its 50 white stars on a blue background represent the 50 states.