Neptune, N.J. — Volunteers across the country are racing to honor fallen service members ahead of Memorial Day as the Flying Flags for Heroes campaign works toward placing more than one million American flags on veterans’ graves nationwide.
Organizers say the annual effort already surpassed expectations in previous years, with roughly 2.6 million flags placed at cemeteries and memorial sites across the United States. This year, community groups, veterans organizations, churches, Scouts, and civic lodges are again being asked to report how many graves they decorated through the nonprofit’s website, flyingflagsforheroes.org.
The campaign, backed by the Sons of The American Legion, has grown into a nationwide movement focused on preserving remembrance traditions while encouraging younger generations to participate in honoring military veterans.
Community Groups Asked to Report Flag Placements
Gary S. Crawford, commander of Sons of The American Legion Squadron 346 at American Legion Post 346 in Neptune, New Jersey, urged organizations to log their participation online and upload photos documenting local Memorial Day efforts.
“Thank you for remembering our fallen Veterans,” Crawford said in a public message supporting the campaign.
The project encourages participation from American Legion posts, Veterans of Foreign Wars chapters, church groups, Scout troops, lodges, and similar volunteer organizations that decorate veterans’ graves in advance of Memorial Day observances.
Supporters say the flag placements create visible reminders of military sacrifice in local communities while helping younger volunteers connect with veterans’ history.
Key Points
• Flying Flags for Heroes aims to place more than 1 million flags on veterans’ graves before Memorial Day
• Organizers say previous campaigns resulted in roughly 2.6 million flags placed nationwide
• The effort grew from a partnership between the Sons of The American Legion and youth advocate Preston Sharp
Program Began With Youth Veteran Advocate
The campaign traces part of its roots to Preston Sharp, a California youth volunteer who began honoring veterans at age 10 in his hometown of Redding.
Sharp started performing extra chores to raise money specifically for veteran tributes and later founded the nonprofit Veterans Flags and Flowers. His mission focused on recognizing veterans year-round rather than limiting memorial efforts to holidays.
That work later expanded through a partnership with Sons of The American Legion Past National Commander Michael Fox of California.
In April 2020, Fox said he believed many veterans buried in local cemeteries were not receiving enough recognition for their sacrifices. He joined forces with Sharp to launch Flying Flags for Heroes as a national initiative tied to the American Legion family.
Fox formally announced the program during the National Convention in Phoenix, where he promoted expanding participation across Legion detachments nationwide.
National Resolution Made Program Permanent
The initiative gained official backing in Spring 2022 when the Sons of The American Legion National Executive Committee adopted Resolution VI through its Americanism Commission.
The resolution established Flying Flags for Heroes as an official Americanism program intended to honor veterans “who gave ‘the last full measure’ in defense of liberty.”
The measure also encouraged members throughout the American Legion family to use the program to inspire patriotism and strengthen public appreciation for military service and the American flag.
Organizers say the annual Memorial Day effort continues to grow because of local volunteer involvement and community-driven participation rather than centralized events alone.
Memorial Day Effort Continues Nationwide
With Memorial Day approaching, volunteers in communities across the country are expected to spend the coming days placing flags at cemeteries, veterans memorials, and grave sites.
Organizers continue encouraging groups to report their totals online in an effort to track the nationwide scope of the campaign and potentially exceed previous participation records.
As of Wednesday, Flying Flags for Heroes had not released updated nationwide totals for this year’s placements, but organizers said submissions and photographs from participating groups remain ongoing.
