11,000 American flags planted in front of La. State Capitol for Memorial Day

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Saturday in a somber ceremony, the names of each of the 11,000 military members from Louisiana who have died in a war since the American Revolution were read.

“Well, it’s important to make sure that our young people understand what the cost of freedom truly is,” Blue Star mother Janet Broussard said.

“Blue Star mothers, we all have children serving or have served, and Gold Star mothers or fathers, families have lost someone while serving,” Broussard said.

Then, family, friends, and active military planted American flags on the lawn in front of the capitol, each one representing a fallen hero.

“This is someone’s loved one, it represents someone’s loved one, and just say a little prayer for them,” Broussard said.

“That was one of the promises that I made to myself when he passed with that, I would always honor him and remember him, and the best way that I can do that is just to come and spend my Saturday planting these flags and to teach people about Memorial Day and teach my kids what it is,” Gold star family member Billy Jo Alexander said.

After Alexander lost her brother in Iraq, she says coming out here with her family is important to her.

“Because I lost my brother in Iraq in 2007, so it’s important for me to bring my children out here so that they understand what Memorial Day is about and that we remember it as a somber day and not the unofficial kickoff to summer because that’s not what it is,” Alexander said.

Blue Star and Gold Star families want everyone to take time to reflect on the cost of freedom this Memorial Day.

“We need to honor our fallen. This is a day set aside or we can set aside to honor those that have given all and you know us as military families and just as Americans, it is our job to make sure they’re honored always,” Broussard said.

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