
San Antonio paid solemn tribute to fallen soldiers this Memorial Day, with a ceremony at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery that brought hundreds to reflect on the sacrifices made by military personnel. The event, rooted in honor and remembrance, was captured in the stillness of over 127,000 flags quivering by each veteran's gravesite, as reported by FOX San Antonio.
While some chose the holiday weekend for leisure, others showed their respect by participating in pre-ceremony activities. Members from Jewish War Veterans Post 753, like Robin Ream who expressed feeling surprisingly sobered by the experience, along with his wife, Joy, placed flags on graves at Temple Beth El Memorial Park and other sites. According to San Antonio Express-News, about 400 flags were posted by the group.
Families with young children joined the wave of volunteers yesterday to plant flags at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, an effort coordinated by the national nonprofit Flags for the Fallen. Among them, Danielle Baker and her kids were seen putting up small American flags, as Express-News noted the cemetery was covered by 132,508 flags in a tribute that has become a visual hallmark of the city's Memorial Day observance.
The act of remembrance also included a meaningful ritual observed by Elizabeth Carabajal, who left pennies on the headstones. Her husband, retired Air Force Master Sgt. Ryan Carabajal, helped lay the flags, joining in a tradition that communicates a powerful message of respect and shared service history. Each coin, as described by the Wounded Warrior Project and mentioned by Express-News, carries its own significance, marking a personal connection between the deceased and those they served alongside.
The American Legion's annual roll call, reinstated last year after pandemic cancellations, is a poignant callback to the names of 2,525 veterans, a remembrance organized by those who understand the gravity of service. The Fort Sam ceremony, complemented by traditional rifle volleys and the playing of taps, culminated in a keynote address by retired Army Lt. Col. Keith Wilson. Gerald Lefler, director of the Fort Sam cemetery, told San Antonio Express-News, "Memorial Day allows us to remember our fallen heroes: our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who have selflessly served our nation."