Overview
- The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, placed about 250,000 small American flags across Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
- Nearly 1,500 soldiers completed the placements before the cemetery opened to the public, using a standardized method that set a booted toe at each headstone and inserted the flag at the heel to ensure a uniform look.
- The Tomb Guards, who are part of the Old Guard, placed flags at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and veterans joined uniformed troops to place roughly 13,500 flags at the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
- All flags will remain in place for the Memorial Day weekend and will be removed after the holiday before the cemeteries reopen for normal visitor access.
- The annual "Flags In" ritual dates to 1948 when the Old Guard became the Army’s ceremonial unit and serves as a visible link from current service members to generations of U.S. military sacrifice across the cemetery’s 639 acres.