Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient Ed Byers kneels next to the headstone of Nicolas Checque, a friend who was killed in 2012 in the same fight where Byers earned his Medal of Honor. Byers joined volunteers from Wreaths Across America Dec. 17 in placing more than 245,000 wreaths to honor the veterans buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Photo by Mark Mogle
More than 44,000 volunteers from across the nation braved the ice and freezing rain to participate in Wreaths Across America Dec. 17 at Arlington National Cemetery, marking the 25th year for the annual ritual of placing wreaths at the headstones of America’s veterans.
With more than 245,000 wreaths donated by the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine and the Wreaths Across America nonprofit, each gravesite was honored with a wreath with ceremonies being held at the Tomb of the Unknowns and the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy.
Wreaths Across America Founder Morrill Worcester and the Worcester Wreath Company sent more than 700,000 wreaths to each state, where simultaneous wreath-laying ceremonies were held at more than 150 locations around the country.