WASHINGTON – Thousands of families, friends and strangers placed wreaths on the graves of veterans and fallen soldiers on Saturday. Wreaths Across America (WAA), a veterans organization that coordinates the nationwide day of remembrance, organized the a large-scale ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

The annual wreath-laying ceremony began in 1992. Last year’s ceremony marked the 150th anniversary of Arlington National Cemetery. Wreaths Across America volunteers covered every grave marker in the cemetery, more than 227,000, both last year and this year. As many as 40 trucks driven by volunteer truck drivers journeyed from the Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine.

At 11 a.m., there was a wreath laying ceremony at President John F. Kennedy’s grave. At noon, there was a final ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

You can learn more about the Wreaths Across American story online, at wreathsacrossamerica.org.