'Socially Distant' Flags Planted For Boston Common Memorial Day

BOSTON — While they could not place the over 37,000 flags they normally would, the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund still honored the state's war dead, Monday. Overnight, the organization planted 1,000 flags on Boston Common, in a socially distant version of their annual Memorial Day flag garden.

The Fund also asked residents across the state to place flags in their windows and front lawns, as a "Virtual Flag Garden."

For the last decade, the group has planted over 37,000 flags each Memorial Day, one for each of the state's estimated active duty military deaths back to the Revolutionary War.

Speaking at the flag garden Common Monday morning, the Fund's President Tom Crohan said the 1,000 flags, planted by a stall group of volunteers, cover the same plot of land the project usually covers, but with six feet between them.

"This year is different," Crohan said. "But we're here."

Gov. Charlie Baker also spoke at the Common in a brief ceremony.

"They stood up for us. They stood up for one another," Baker said.

The Fund announced on May 8 that it would be cancelling the volunteer flag garden in favor of a virtual memorial. Monday's reveal was a surprise, with the flags planted overnight.

The Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund provides support to the families of military personnel with Massachusetts ties who have died since 9/11.