Assemblyman Anthony D’Urso assisted the scouts in placing flags at the grave sites of veterans at All Saints Cemetery during Memorial Day Weekend. The tradition, which is followed at many cemeteries, has been going on since 1868, three years after the Civil War ended.

Originally, many of the graves were decorated with flowers and then later with flags.
An act of Congress declared Memorial Day as a National Holiday in 1971 a day set aside to remember all Americans who died in wars. This day was originally known as known as Decoration Day.

“We must honor and not forget the sacrifices that our veterans have made for our freedom,” D’Urso said. “Their names will always be engraved in the stones and kept in our hearts.”