Founded in 1863, The Woodlawn Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 9,000 individuals who bravely served our nation in the U.S. Armed Forces. Woodlawn has honored veterans for years by recruiting volunteers, including school groups, scouts, corporate teams, and service organizations from the local community to salute America’s heroes.

Each year, to thank those who answer the call, volunteers place flags on veterans’ gravesites in the lead-up to Memorial Day. Volunteers receive maps that pinpoint grave locations and a list of known servicemembers. A Woodlawn tradition, the yearly public event attracts hundreds of volunteers who make it a point to honor the bravest among us.

Volunteers can participate any day between Saturday, May 16 and Saturday, May 23, with time slots available in the morning (10:00 AM) and afternoon (1:00 PM). Flagging is open to volunteers of all ages; we only ask that you indicate the age range of any children attending when you register. Please note that adult supervision is required for any volunteers under the age of 18. Woodlawn will host a kick-off to the 2026 Flagging Campaign on Saturday, May 16 at 10:00 AM, followed by our first flagging time slot at 11:00 AM.

Volunteer participation and financial support are critical to supporting this annual tradition of honoring America's veterans. Please consider making a contribution to cover the costs of flags and related supplies. Every $25 donated covers the purchase of 10 flags all proudly made in the U.S.A.

Among Woodlawn’s veterans are 11 Medal of Honor recipients, soldiers honored by local posts and parks, and representatives of every conflict from the Revolutionary War onward. One of the most famous veterans buried in the cemetery is David Glasgow Farragut, the first admiral in the U.S. Navy. Other notable soldiers include newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, who was a recruit for the Union Army during the Civil War; Bronx native Sergeant Natale Greco, whose plane was shot down over Germany in World War II; and Sergeant Lincoln Colon-Perez, a Purple Heart recipient who was killed in action in South Vietnam. Whose resting place will you flag this year?

To learn more about the event, email [email protected].

Please consider donating to become a sponsor of this annual event. To make a donation via check, please address to Woodlawn Conservancy, 4199 Webster Ave, Bronx, NY 10470.

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