Wakefield Announces Annual Flagging Of Veterans' Graves

Press release from the Town of Wakefield

WAKEFIELD, MA — The public is invited to Flag the graves of Veterans at Lakeside Cemetery and Forest Glade Cemeteries. This is an annual tradition for all ages. The Wakefield Office of Veterans Services provides the American flags to be placed at Veteran marked graves.

The practice of flagging Veterans is rooted in a tradition of honoring military service and the fallen. It began as a tribute decorating graves of the Fallen with flowers, and evolved to include the placement of flags, particularly on Memorial Day. The tradition is deeply intertwined with the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and their establishment of Decoration Day in 1868, which later became Memorial Day.

The 2025 schedule for the flagging of the graves begins on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 3:30 p.m. at Wakefield's Lakeside Cemetery, 501 North Avenue. Also, on the Upper Common, the Wakefield Girl Scouts plan to create a Flag Garden as a tribute to the Wakefield’s Fallen.

On Friday, May 23, 2025, at 3:30 p.m., the flagging of the graves begins at Wakefield's Forest Glade Cemetery, 470 Lowell Street. These tributes take about an hour of time lending an opportunity for the public to honor those who served in the Armed Forces.

The public is invited to attend the Town of Wakefield Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 26, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. This outdoor ceremony is on the Upper Common in front of the World War II Memorial. The theme for this year’s Memorial Day Ceremony is “Valor.”

Residents can learn more about veteran benefit programs and services by contacting the Veteran Service Officer David Mangan 781-246-6377.

This press release was produced by the Town of Wakefield. The views expressed here are the author’s own.