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Around 645,000 poppy flowers were part of an exhibit on the National Mall to honor the men and women who lost their lives in action.
“The poppy is sort of the international symbol of remembrance,” retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral John Bird said. “We can never thank them enough, but we should never forget. So at least on Memorial Day, we need to remember those men and women that lost their dreams so that we could live ours.”
Bird now works for USAA as senior vice president of military affairs. He says thousands visit the poppy display in Washington, D.C., every year. Since the first installment in 2018, around 40,000 people have viewed it.
“Unlike Veterans Day, which is in November, we take Memorial Day to thank the men and women who gave their lives in combat so that we may enjoy the freedoms we enjoy,” Bird said. “We want people to enjoy summer barbecues, but just take a moment and reflect on that and the incredible gift that we’ve been given.”
ON MEMORIAL DAY, LEAVE AN EMPTY SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR THE ‘MISSING HERO’ WHO GAVE SELFLESSLY FOR OUR FREEDOMS
People visit the USAA Poppy Wall of Honor, featuring over 645,000 poppies behind glass, each one representing an American service member who has fallen since World War I, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., May 24, 2019, ahead of the Memorial Day weekend. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
At 133 feet long and more than 8 feet tall, flowers cover both sides of the display and give visitors an immersive experience.
“We have folks who come, especially those from the Vietnam generation or Iraq and Afghanistan, and we see tears. They remember a lost comrade, a family member,” Bird said. “They know one of the flowers represents one of their loved ones.”
MEMORIAL DAY BY THE NUMBERS: FACTS ABOUT THE SOLEMN AMERICAN HOLIDAY
Some of the over 645,000 poppies at the USAA Poppy Wall of Honor, with each one representing an American service member who has fallen since World War I, on the National Mall in Washington, DC, May…
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