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Every Memorial Day, One Fallen Soldier's Father Honors Son And Other Veterans With Thousands Of Flag

NPR
Published May 27, 2019 at 11:40 AM CDT
Paul Monti next to the truck of his son, Jared Monti. Jared Monti died while serving in Afghanistan in 2006. (Anna Miller/Here & Now)
Paul Monti next to the truck of his son, Jared Monti. Jared Monti died while serving in Afghanistan in 2006. (Anna Miller/Here & Now)

On this Memorial Day, we want to spend a few minutes on a story we’ve been following for many years. It involves a Massachusetts father, Paul Monti, who’s son Jared Monti was killed in Afghanistan in 2006.

Paul Monti started Operation Flags For Vets so the cemetery where Jared is buried would be covered with American flags. His efforts to honor and remember his son also inspired a hit country song.

On Saturday, Here & Now‘s Alex Ashlock (@aashlock) went to the Massachusetts National Cemetery on Cape Cod, where volunteers were placing more than 77,000 flags on the graves for Memorial Day.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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