26,000 flags fill Mighty Eighth museum garden in Pooler ahead of Memorial Day

POOLER, Ga. (WTOC) - More than 100 volunteers spent Wednesday morning placing 26,000 American flags in the Memorial Garden at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force as part of the museum’s annual Flags for the Fallen event.

The weekend-long display honors the roughly 26,000 Eighth Air Force airmen who died during World War II. Each flag represents one of the fallen, and the flags feature 48 stars — not 50 — because the airmen served and many were buried under 48-star flags more than 80 years ago, according to museum staff.

Flags for the Fallen began in 2020. In its first few years, staff said it took two days to install the flags. With the help of volunteers, crews can now place them in just a few hours.

“We’re going to have a lot of events this weekend, but this is my favorite day,” said Col. Brent Bracewell, USA (Ret.), chairman of the museum’s board of trustees. “I love to see the community come together — people from all backgrounds. You’ve got JROTC, Gulfstream, VyStar that put this on, other groups out here, families. To me, we’re accomplishing exactly what we wanted to accomplish.”

Among the volunteers was Marine Corps veteran Megan Albright, who helped install flags with her mother. Albright said the effort is personal after losing friends who served.

“I think people need to maybe just take a moment to step back and see and really understand the meaning why all these flags are here,” said Albright. “Not that it’s just beautiful but just take a moment of silence or anything you can do Memorial Day to remember all the people who raised their right hand and showed up for our country.”

Other volunteers, including David Charbonneau and Bill Palmer, said they return each year to honor their loved ones. Charbonneau said his father served with the Mighty Eighth and returned home, while Palmer said he had an uncle killed in France during World War II.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m. Friday, visitors can walk through the Memorial Garden to reflect and pay tribute. The museum will be open all weekend, including Memorial Day. The event also includes two Mighty Talk programs this year.

Volunteers can help remove the flags Thursday, May 26, at 9 a.m.