HAPPY VALLEY, Ore. (KOIN) — Ahead of Memorial Day, families, veterans and volunteers gathered Thursday at Willamette National Cemetery for a powerful ceremony honoring the nation’s fallen service members.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flew overhead to mark the start of the event, drawing a crowd that stood silently beneath the sky.

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On the ground, nearly 140,000 American flags fluttered in the breeze — one for every veteran buried at the nearly 300-acre cemetery, which honors those who served in every U.S. conflict.

For 52 years, the Thunderbird District of the Cascade Pacific Council of the Boy Scouts of America has coordinated the annual flag placement. 

Scouts are joined by hundreds of volunteers, including Damien Craycraft Colby, a former Army soldier and member of the local Carpenters Council, who says the tradition hits close to home.

“Every veteran knows it could’ve been one of their names on the sites or who knows… we could be walking down and say, ‘Hey, I knew that person,’” Colby said.

Oregon Sen. Mark Meek spoke about the emotional impact of seeing the flags.

“There’s nothing like the feeling when you see all these flags on every gravestone. It just really touches your heart,” Meek said.

His Marine veteran father is also buried at the site.

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The cemetery provides the flags, but it’s the ritual that holds the deepest meaning. Volunteers carefully clean the graves, place the flags, read the names on the headstones and salute. This act of respect embodies the spirit of Memorial Day, Craycraft Colby said, “At least giving it a second thought of just remembering why we’re doing these things, because we were given the opportunity to do them.”

Willamette National Cemetery will be open Monday, Memorial Day, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for those wishing to pay their respects.