Boy Scouts carry a large American flag through the Memphis National Cemetery in Tennessee, where scouts also placed flags on 42,000 graves. At Dover Air Force Base, the remains of fallen soldiers are returned to their families. In Afghanistan, the top U.S. commander reads a 23-year-old’s letter to his family that he had prepared to be read in the event of his death.
“Today we remember his life and his words, for they speak resoundingly and timelessly for our fallen brothers and sisters in arms,” said Marine Gen. John Allen, who also leads the NATO coalition in Afghanistan.
Across the world this weekend, Americans are honoring the fallen, veterans and military personnel in ceremonies and private remembrances.
Here’s a gallery of AP photos from Memorial Day weekend.