The black granite stretches before you, 493 feet of polished stone etched with 58,318 names. On ordinary days, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a solemn reminder of lives cut short in a controversial war. But on Memorial Day, it transforms into something more.
Thousands of small American flags appear, standing sentinel at the base of The Wall.
They arrive with the people – veterans in faded uniforms, families clutching photographs, strangers drawn to witness this sacred American ritual. Each flag tells a story no words could fully capture.
The tradition began spontaneously in the early 1980s, shortly after the memorial’s dedication. That first Memorial Day, a veteran placed a single flag beside a friend’s name.
By the next year, dozens appeared. Now, thousands of flags line the memorial each Memorial Day, creating a river of red, white, and blue below the river of names.
“I’ve been coming for 37 years,” says Michael Donnelly, a Vietnam veteran who served with the 1st Cavalry Division in 1968-69. “I bring three flags – one for each buddy from my unit who didn’t make it home.“
Donnelly, now 76, carefully places each flag, then touches the corresponding names on the wall. The ritual takes him nearly an hour.
He is not alone. Throughout Memorial Day weekend, a steady stream of pilgrims comes to perform similar ceremonies.
What makes the Vietnam Memorial’s flag tradition unique is its personal nature. Unlike Arlington’s precisely placed flags, these are brought by individuals with specific connections to specific names.
Many flags arrive with handwritten notes. Some come with combat boots, dog tags, or faded photographs.
“The first time I came, I couldn’t even look at The Wall,” says Linda Martinez, whose brother’s name appears on Panel 33W. “Now I bring his favorite bandana and a flag every year.“
National Park Service staff collect these items each evening. They carefully catalog and preserve them as part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection, now containing over 400,000 items.
By Memorial Day afternoon, the base of The Wall disappears beneath a carpet of tributes. Flags of various sizes predominate, but other military emblems appear too – Marine Corps flags, Army unit patches, Navy insignia.
“There’s an unspoken protocol here,” explains Park Ranger Sarah Jefferson, who has worked Memorial Day at The Wall for 15 years. “Everyone gives each other space and time for their private moments.“
The flags create a vivid visual counterpoint to the memorial’s stark design. The memorial itself is deliberately austere – black granite cut into the earth, bearing only names without rank or title.
Architect Maya Lin designed it as “a rift in the earth” – a wound in the landscape mirroring the nation’s wound from the war. The bright flags stand in contrast to this somber design.
For many veterans, the flags represent promises kept. “I told him I wouldn’t forget,” says Thomas Reed, pointing to a name on Panel 14E. “Forty-eight years later, I’m still keeping that promise.“
Reed travels from Oregon each year, an American flag folded precisely in his luggage. He’s never missed a Memorial Day at The Wall.
Some visitors search for specific names using the directory books at the memorial entrance. Others simply stand back, taking in the collective tribute that the thousands of flags create.
Young children often ask about the flags. Parents and grandparents explain in hushed tones, passing down the obligation of remembrance to a new generation.
By late afternoon, the changing angle of the sun makes the black granite reflect the flags, multiplying their impact. The memorial seems to absorb their colors and meaning.
As evening approaches, volunteers from local veterans’ organizations walk The Wall. They ensure no flag has fallen and no tribute has been disturbed.
“We’re standing guard,” explains James Wilson, commander of a local VFW post. “It’s what we do for our brothers and sisters.“
The most powerful moments often come at dusk. The crowds thin, leaving small groups and individuals in quiet contemplation among the flags and names.
Many touch the names, tracing the engraved letters with their fingers. Some leave a final offering – a flower, a medal, a handwritten poem tucked beneath a flag.
Park rangers allow these personal flags and tributes to remain throughout the Memorial Day weekend. They stand vigil until the holiday concludes.
Each year, the tradition grows stronger rather than fading. Second and third generations now bring flags for grandparents and great-uncles they never met.
“My dad came here every year until he passed,” says Melissa Chen, placing a flag at Panel 52E. “Now I come for both of them – my uncle on The Wall and my dad who never forgot him.“
As night falls on Memorial Day, something remarkable happens at The Wall. While other monuments across Washington go dark, soft lighting illuminates the Vietnam Memorial throughout the night.
The flags remain visible in this gentle glow, standing watch as they will until morning. Like the names they honor, they neither fade nor retreat with the setting sun.
In this sacred space, between polished black granite and countless flags, America continues a conversation across generations. About sacrifice. About loss. About remembrance.
And about the power of a simple flag to say what words cannot – we remember, we honor, we will never forget.
* Names have been changed to protect individuals’ privacy.
References:
https://www.vvmf.org/About-The-Wall/history-of-the-vietnam-veterans-memorial/
https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/about/flag_branding_and_seal/
https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog/24-things-know-when-visiting-vietnam-veterans-memorial
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/11/06/40-years-later-vietnam-veterans-memorial-stands-lasting-statement-war-and-remembrance.html
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