The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, the distinguished Old Guard, honors the nation’s fallen soldiers each year by planting more than 228,000 American flags at every grave marker in Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day weekend.
The annual “Flags-In” ceremony echoes the origins of Memorial Day traditions, when both Confederate and Union soldiers decorated the graves of their fallen compatriots after the Civil War. The Old Guard has conducted this tradition yearly since 1948.
TIME contributing photographer Brooks Kraft captured this year’s ceremony on Thursday. More than 1,000 soldiers participated in the ritual over a span of four hours at the sprawling Arlington National Cemetery near Washington.
Photos: Honoring the Old Guard At Arlington National Cemetery
Members of the U.S. Army Old Guard walk away after a wreath-laying ceremony at President John F. Kennedy's gravesite at Arlington Cemetery in Va. on Nov. 17, 2011.
Mark Wilson—Getty Images
Army soldiers of the Old Guard walk their posts at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Va, May 13, 1998.
Tim Sloan—AFP/Getty Images
As dawn breaks, Tomb of the Unknowns Sentinel Sgt. Kenley Beazer, 25, of Augusta, Ga., takes the first full-dress shift of the day at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., April 5, 1998.
Tim Sloan—AFP/Getty Images
U.S. Army Specialist Brian Murphy places U.S. flags on grave markers as day breaks at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., May 22, 1992.
David Ake—AFP/Getty Images
As the sun rises, soldiers from the Army Old Guard photograph headstones in Section 15 of Arlington National Cemetery as part of Task Force Christman to photograph and catalog more than 219,00 grave markers and the front of more than 43,000 sets of cremated remains at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., Aug. 24, 2011.
Cliff Owen—AP
Soldiers from the U.S. Army Old Guard gather flags before placing them at grave stones at Arlington National Cemetery. It took 1,300 soldiers, sailors and Marines about three hours to place a flag at each of the more than 300,000 gravestones ahead of the Memorial Day weekend in Arlington, Va., May 21, 2009.
Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images
Members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, known as The Old Guard, place American flags at gravestones and niches of service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., May 26, 2011.
Pete Marovich—Corbis
A soldier with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) stands guard as he waits for the arrival of President Francois Hollande of France near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., Feb. 11, 2014.
Jim Lo Scalzo—EPA
Pfc. Stephen Polidore has the details of his uniform closely scrutinized by Sgt. Jesse Levenson as members of the Old Guard who participate in funerals at Arlington Cemetery go through a semiannual refresher training in Arlington, Va., April 8, 2010.
Jahi Chikwendiu—The Washington Post/Getty Images
The flag-draped casket of U.S. Army 1st Lt. John E. Terpning of Mount Prospect, Ill. is carried to his final resting place by members of the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard," during his burial at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., April 3, 2013.
Alex Wong—Getty Images
Members of The Old Guard fold the flag during the burial service for a U.S. soldier killed in combat. The service was held at Arlington National Cemetery in Va. on April 17, 2013.
Jonathan Newton—The Washington Post/Getty Images
Members of the U.S. Army's Old Guard take part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Va. on June 13, 2013.
Win McNamee—Getty Images
A member of the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Regiment, ''The Old Guard,'' sets a wreath at the base of the Tomb of the Unknowns during a ceremony in honor of former President John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., Nov. 22, 2013.
Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images
Snow falls as a member of the U.S. Army Old Guard, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment guards the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery in Va. on February 26, 2014.
Mark Wilson—Getty Images
Undaunted by the downpour, a private walks amongst the headstones planting flags in Arlington National Cemetery in Va. on May 25, 1995.
Bill O'Leary—The Washington Post/Getty Images
Horses "Sam" (R) and "Sarge" are walked out of the stable by Spl. John Thomas of the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Regiment "Old Guard" Caisson Platoon at Ft. Myer, before being hooked to a Caisson for funerals at Arlington Cemetery, Va., June 18, 2007.
Mark Wilson—Getty Images
A caisson and casket team of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, "The Old Guard," are seen behind tree branches on a hilltop during the burial service of U.S. Army Captain Brian M. Bunting, at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., March 16, 2009.
Michael Reynolds—EPA
A member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard" salutes in front of a grave during a "Flags-In" ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Va., May 22, 2014.
Kevin Lamarque—Reuters
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