The Poppy Wall of Honor organized by USAA returned to the National Mall for the sixth year in honor of Memorial Day.
The temporary installation features 600,000 poppies encased in a glass wall to remember the 600,000 military members lost in service to our country.
Positioned on a grassy area to the right of the Lincoln Memorial, visitors enter on the right side of the wall, where they’re faced with stories told through writing and video focused on the impact of each life lost.
One of those stories is from Vietnam combat veteran Allen “Doc” Hoe, who donated an American flag he received in battle.
Hoe lost 18 team members and was the only surviving member from his squad after an attack on Mother’s Day in 1968. Years later, Hoe’s son, who was fighting in Iraq, asked his father to send him the flag so he could honor his team.
“He sends the flag to his son, and the very day he gets the flag, the son loses his life in combat, and that flag was savored and brought back to Mr. Hoe,” retired Air Force veteran and USAA military affairs member Shelina Frey said.
“Mr. Hoe has held onto this flag for over 55 years, and he was gracious enough to let USAA use it on display. And this is the first time that flag has ever been out of his possession,” Frey said.
Once visitors finish taking in the veteran stories, they’re directed to the right side of the wall, where the poppies are displayed.
It’s encouraged by organizers to use this time to reflect silently on the lives lost represented by each flower. Each viewer leaves the display with their own red poppy pin.
The 134-foot wall was displayed for the first time on the National Mall in 2018.
“It’s not just a wall of flowers; it’s a wall of individuals who gave their life so that we can enjoy Memorial Day. And so, we just want people on Memorial Day to just pause for a minute, take a moment in time and reflect on enjoying these freedoms because somebody thought enough of this country to put their lives on the line,” Frey said.
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