A very patriotic project spearheaded by San Antonio's USAA will enable people in our nation's capitol this Memorial Day weekend to truly honor the men and women who have sacrified their lives for our country since the start of the 20th Century, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
USAA Vice President and retired Vice Admiral John Bird says the 133 foot long and eight foot high Poppy Wall has gone up in Washington. The wall contains 645,000 bright red poppies, one for every man and woman who has been killed in action in America's wars since World War I.
"We are located here on the National Mall, in an ideal spot, in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflection Pool, and the Korean War Memorial surrounding us," Adm. Bird told News Radio 1200 WOAI.
"It gives the public the chance to see this incredible display for Memorial Day."
He says you would have to have nearly a million and a half poppies to represent all the Americans killed in all of the wars in our history, but Bird says the decision was made to start with World War I, because that is the war that popularized the poppy as the flower of rememberance for fallen service members
.“Folks will be inspired, they will be educated, they will be inspired,” he said. “They wil be proud that so many men and women in our country will raise their right hand and sign up to pay the ultimate price.”
He says the idea for the Poppy Wall started at USAA’s main headquarters building in San Antonio, when a similar memorial wall was erected two Memorial Days ago.
Bird says the wall was so inspiring to USAA employees that it was moved last year to the office in Tampa, and this year to the National Mall, where all Americans can see it and reflect on the sacrifices that have been made for our liberty.
PHOTO COURTESY OF USAA. USED BY PERMISSION.