PHOTOS: Memorial Day weekend tradition on hold and remembered

Metro Atlanta

PHOTOS: Memorial Day weekend tradition on hold and remembered

Because of the pandemic, the annual tradition of Scouts placing flags at Marietta National Cemetery on the Saturday before Memorial Day was not possible this year.

Marietta National Cemetery is without a flag at every headstone Saturday, May 23, 2020. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the annual tradition of Scouts placing flags at each of the more than 18,000 headstones on the Saturday before Memorial Day was not possible this year. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Marietta National Cemetery visitors placed flags at each cemetery section anonymously on Saturday, May 23, 2020, before the cemetery historian showed up to do as much as he can without the help of Scouts this year. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Historian Brad Quinlin, who normally is giving group tours of the Marietta National Cemetery during Memorial Day weekend, is out placing a few flags and visiting the grounds Saturday, May 23, 2020. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

This grave, seen with a flag on Saturday, May 23, 2020, is that of Emma Stephenson, an African American Union nurse who was a former Tennessee slave. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Marietta National Cemetery is without a flag at every headstone Saturday, May 23, 2020. The annual tradition was put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic and safety precautions that meant large crowds weren't permitted the Saturday before Memorial Day. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

2019: Ian Grievous from Pack 257 places an American flag at a gravessite at the Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Scouts placed an American flag at each of the more than 18,000 cemetery graves in advance of the Memorial Day commemorations. (Photo: STEVE SCHAEFER / SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2019: Scouts place an American flag at the Marietta National Cemetery at each of the 18,000-plus graves on Saturday, May 25, 2019, in advance of the Memorial Day commemorations. STEVE SCHAEFER / SPECIAL TO THE AJC

2019: David Landry (left) and Ryan Vogt from Pack 417 help place American flags at the gravesites at Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Scouts placed the flags in advance of the Memorial Day commemorations. (Photo: STEVE SCHAEFER / SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2018: American flags are seen in front headstones as a young boy walks through Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 26, 2018, ahead of Memorial Day. (Photo: BRANDEN CAMP/SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2018: Cub Scouts from Pack 815 help to place some of the more than 18,000 flags on the graves of U.S. military veterans in the Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 26, 2018. (Photo: BLAKE MORGAN / SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2018: A woman plays patriotic songs at Marietta National Cemetery Saturday, May 26, 2018, ahead of Memorial Day. (Photo: BRANDEN CAMP/SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2015: Scouts plant flags at two of the graves in the Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, 2015. Hundreds of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts placed flags on the 18,500 soldiers' grave stones in preparation for the Memorial Day service on Monday. (Photo: JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2015: Scouts plant flags at the graves in the Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, 2015. Hundreds of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts placed flags on the 18,500 soldiers' gravestones in preparation for the Memorial Day service on Monday. (Photo: JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2015: A flag is placed at one of the graves in the Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, 2015. Hundreds of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts placed flags on the more than 18,000 gravesites in preparation for the Memorial Day service. (Photo: JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2015: A salute is performed after placing a flag at one of the graves in Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, 2015. Hundreds of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts placed flags at the graves in preparation for the Memorial Day service. (Photo: JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL TO THE AJC)

2013: Scouts from Pack 252 salute after placing flags at the Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 25, 2013. Boy scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Brownies were at the Marietta National Cemetery placing 18,000 flags at the graves of those who have fallen. (Photo: HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM)

2013: Scouts salute during a tribute to those who lost their lives in battle before they place more than 18,000 flags on graves at the Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 25, 2013. (Photo: HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM)

2012: Scouts salute the military graves after placing flags at Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 26, 2012. More than 1,800 Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Brownies placed flags on graves and gave the deceased heroes a salute. The Scouts and their leaders came from all over the metro area. (Photo: JOHNNY CRAWFORD / AJC)

2009: A fallen war hero is saluted as about 1,500 metro Atlanta Scouts placed American flags at each of the more than 18,000 gravestones at Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, 2009. The Boy Scouts of America has been a part of this ceremony since 1946. (Photo: PHIL SKINNER /AJC)

2009: About 1,500 metro Atlanta Scouts placed flags at the 18,000-plus gravestones at Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, 2009. The Boy Scouts of America has been a part of this ceremony since 1946. (Photo: PHIL SKINNER /AJC)

2009: Scouts place flags at all of the graves at Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 23, 2009. The Scouts receive a community service patch for their show of patriotism before the Memorial Day service at the cemetery. (Photo: PHIL SKINNER /AJC)

2008: Scouts have their flags in hand as they head out to place them on the graves at Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24 , 2008. The annual event also included members of the Georgia Society Sons of the American Revolution as a color guard and rifle salute. (Photo: BOB ANDRES / AJC)

2007: A Cadet Girl Scout stops to salute after placing a United States flag on Saturday, May 26, 2007, at Marietta National Cemetery. (ANDY SHARP / AJC)

2006: Sons of American Revolution GA state color guard presented the flags as the Foothills District of the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America conducted their annual Memorial Day service at the Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 27, 2006. (Photo: PHIL SKINNER/AJC)

2005: A Cub Scout helps place American flags at the gravesites at Marietta National Cemetery on Saturday, May 28, 2005, and pauses to salute. (Photo: ANDY SHARP/AJC)

2002: The Scouts' annual Memorial Day Decoration of Graves at Marietta National Cemetery is held Saturday, May 25, 2002. (Photo: CHARLOTTE B. TEAGLE/AJC)

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Marietta National Cemetery is without a flag at every headstone Saturday, May 23, 2020. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the annual tradition of Scouts placing flags at each of the more than 18,000 headstones on the Saturday before Memorial Day was not possible this year. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

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