Prior to Memorial Day, the Veterans Memorial Marker Committee placed American flags next to Veteran gravestones in the Walker-Blake Graveyard!  A wonderful way to pay respect and remember those who have served our country.  Peter W. Thomson is Taunton’s veteran’s graves officer.  Peter co-ordinates the placing American flags next to nearly 7,000 headstones in Taunton.

The flags are placed on graves going back to the Revolutionary War.  Of course, there are other soldiers buried here who were members of the Militia.  In the seventeenth century, any male between the ages of 16 and 65 where members of the town Militia.

In Taunton there are 62 cemeteries that have Veterans buried in them.  Some are as small as one or two burials in a backyard.  Some of the cemeteries are very large like St. Joseph’s and Mayflower Hill.

Peter who is an Iraq War Veteran enlists the help of volunteers from various groups and some individual people.  Some of the groups are Boy and Girl Scouts and Veteran groups.

The flags are placed in a circular aluminum marker with a hole in it to support the flag.  The aluminum markers feature a wreath design with the words “Veteran, Armed Forces, United States”.

As you walk around the graveyard, pause and reflect on those who have served in the armed services and in some cases paid the ultimate price.