Did you know there is a man, that we admire and love, that had to battle with the powers that be to place a Flag on his son’s grave at National Cemetery at Bourne, MA?

Medal of Honor recipient SFC Jared C. Monti deserved, at the very least, a Flag at his final resting place on Memorial Day. When one of his brothers lay wounded during battle in Afghanistan, Jared tried 3 times to reach him before losing his own life.

On Veterans Day 2006, 5 months after Jared was KIA, Paul Monti noticed not a single Flag on the graves of Our Heroes. Approaching the cemetery administration to ask why Flags were not on the graves since it is a state law, Mr. Monti was told it was federal property and interferes with grounds keeping.

It took 4 1/2 years but Mr. Monti finally was able to get the policy changed.

Since Memorial Day 2011 at National Cemetery at Bourne, MA, Flags fly proudly on the graves of Our Nation’s Heroes on both Memorial and Veterans Day!

There are approximately 80,000 Flags placed for the week. Then retrieved and returned to storage.

The amount of volunteers and time it takes are amazing. To see all those Flags flying on the graves of Our Heroes can bring a tear to the eyes of the strongest of men.

If you haven’t participated yet then you need to go at least once.

Thank You Mr. Monti for leading the charge as we head into the 10th year of Honoring Our Heroes at Bourne!

Click here for the upcoming dates for Flag placement and removal.