USAA’s Poppy Wall of Honor is returning to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. this year to honor fallen U.S. troops with hundreds of thousands of poppy flowers for Memorial Day.
Standing at 8.5 feet tall and 133 feet long, the two-sided temporary installation will feature over 645,000 poppy flowers in honor of the “more than 645,000 American servicemembers who gave their lives in service to our nation since World War I,” USAA told American Military News in an email.
This year, the Poppy Wall of Honor will also feature a panel commemorating the 50th anniversary of the U.S. exit from the Vietnam War, as well as a digital panel highlighting personal remembrances gathered through the hashtag #PoppyInMemory.
“Memorial Day weekend has long served as the unofficial start to summer with many Americans getting together and enjoying the long weekend. However, it’s important to pause and reflect on the true meaning of the holiday – to honor and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country,” said VADM (ret) John Bird, senior vice president of Military Affairs at USAA.
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Nearly 40,000 people have visited the Poppy Wall of Honor since it was first displayed publicly on the National Mall in 2018, USAA said.
“As we mark fifty years since the end of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, USAA’s Poppy Wall of Honor will pay special tribute to the heroes of that war who didn’t make it home, while allowing visitors to pay tribute to all the heroes, the more than 645,000 service members, who have died in service to our nation since World War I,” Bird added.
Visitors can view the Poppy Wall of Honor starting at noon on May 26 through 6 p.m. ET on May 28. The display will be located at the base of the Lincoln Memorial between the Reflecting Pool and Korean War Memorial.
