The Old Guard

Members of the Third United States Infantry (The Old Guard) take part in the traditional “Flags In” at Arlington National Cemetery.  Small American flags are placed at each gravesite in the cemetery just before Memorial Day.  They are removed on the day after Memorial Day.

Soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) place flags in front of the
gravestones and nitches of service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Thursday, May 23, 2002, in preparation for Memorial Day ceremonies Monday, May 27.

Pvt. Jason Bland of Summit, N.J., the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old Guard)
pauses while placing flags in front of the gravestones and nitches of service
members buried at Arlington National Cemetery Thursday, May 23, 2002, in
preparation for Memorial Day ceremonies Monday, May 27th.

Pvt. Melissa Puryear of Bakersfield, Calif., of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (Old
Guard), places flags in front of the gravestones and nitches of service members
buried at Arlington National Cemetery Thursday, May 23, 2002, in preparation for
Memorial Day ceremonies Monday, May 27th.

An Army soldier inserts an american flag into the ground
near a grave at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington,
May 23, 2002. The flags are put on all the graves at
Arlington National Cemetery in honor of the Memorial Day
holiday marked May 27.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard