On Sautrday, December 12th, families and volunteers gathered at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, to pay tribute at the annual Wreaths Across America. More than 16,000 wreaths were placed in Sections 2, 9, 31, 32, 37, and 60.

This marks the 18th year in a row that the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine, has donated the balsam fir holiday wreaths, which were laid at thousands of grave sites across the country with the goal to “remember, honor and teach” about the service and sacrifices of this nation’s veterans.

To learn more about this annual event, and how you can participate, visit Wreaths Across America’s website.

UPDATE: Read more about Wreaths Across America from CNN, the Detroit Free Press, and the Washington Post.

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(USO photos by Bill Auth)