Boy Scouts Plant Flags on Veterans’ Graves for Memorial Day

Troop 9 in Duluth teamed up with the Coast Guard Auxiliary to honor fallen service members

DULUTH, Minn. – Memorial Day is on Monday, May 28th. It’s a day to honor and remember people who died serving in our country’s armed forces.

Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts from Troop 9 in Duluth are helping set up for the holiday. They spent the evening planting flags in Park Hill Cemetery.

The scouts joined members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary in walking through the cemetery, paying tribute to fallen soldiers.

“We take the flags, walk across the rows of gravestones, see if they’re marked for service in the military and place a flag,” explained boy scout Jeremiah Erickson.

Veterans from every war received the patriotic marker.

“We’ve seen some from as far back as World War One already and all the way up through today,” said scoutmaster Ken Stafford.

Erickson said it was something he and his fellow scouts were excited to do.

“It makes me feel good,” said Erickson. “It feels accomplished like I have a purpose on Memorial Day.”

Stafford told us it’s a great way for him to teach the boys about the holiday and the sacrifice of fallen service members.

“We do this in respect and to honor the veterans for what they have given to us and to make sure they’re not forgotten,” said Stafford.

The annual West Duluth Memorial Day Parade will take place at 12:30 p.m. It starts at the corner of Grand Avenue and 59th Avenue West.