Every year on Memorial Day Weekend, people come out to the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown to honor those who gave their lives for our country.
"Everybody that didn't come back, just thank you. Just thank you," said Joel Cabral, of Newington.
Cabral served in the Connecticut National Guard for seven years and says he regularly attends this event. That's true for another man who comes out to honor his own family members.
"Putting the flags down. I've got two brothers over here," said Bert St. Pierre, of Meriden.
Get New England news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NECN newsletters.
Nearly 13,000 American flags were placed by each grave Saturday morning.
"The community support for up here, this veteran's cemetery, is just amazing," said Michael Rogalsky.
The event hits close to home for Rogalsky, who served in the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1968. He says the Veterans of Vietnam War in Middletown started this tradition in the early 1990s. At the time, it took two days to place all the flags.
U.S. & World
"We started one Saturday at 8 o'clock in the morning, 5 o'clock that night we stopped. We came back the next day. We started at 9 o'clock that morning, and we got through at 2:30 in the afternoon," said Rogalsky.
Today, it takes less than an hour, thanks to those who help.
Those we spoke to say they like to place the flags with their kids and the teach the next generation the true meaning of Memorial Day. For some kids, it was their first time observing the holiday this way.
"It's like the day where military people who have passed away served our country," said Lily Burkey, of Middletown.
And they tell us – they found it very meaningful.
"I'm just excited to help put the flags on people's graves because it's the least people can do...they deserve it because they fought for us and our freedom," said Coral Huston of East Berlin.
