Suffolk Planning Memorial Day Flag Placement At 15 Cemeteries

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — With Memorial Day approaching next week, Suffolk officials will be partnering with 15 cemeteries across the county to place American flags at the gravestones of local heroes. The county will work with local Boy Scout Troops and Veterans Organizations to conduct the group flag placement at non-veteran cemeteries on Saturday, May 23.

Traditionally, group flag placements have taken place every Memorial Day weekend since 1995 at Calverton National Cemetery and Long Island National Cemetery. However this year, the National Cemetery Administration announced that those events are currently suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone wrote a letter to Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie asking for this directive to be amended.

While the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has yet to amend this blanket policy, Suffolk County Executive Bellone is now calling on the VA to donate the thousands of flags it purchased that would ordinarily be distributed to local groups at national cemeteries to local groups partaking in similar activities at non-veteran cemeteries. A total of 15 local cemeteries across 10 townships have already agreed to partner with the county to honor the fallen heroes.

The full list of participating cemeteries include:

• Washington Memorial Park Cemetery, Mt Sinai
• Union Cemetery, Middle Island
• St. John's the Evangelist Cemetery, Riverhead
• Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, Southampton
• Mt Pleasant Cemetery and Crematory, Center Moriches
• Huntington Rural Cemetery, Huntington
• Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Coram
• Queen of All Saints Cemetery, Central Islip
• First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Southold
• Shaarey Pardes Accabonac Grove Cemetery, East Hampton
• St. Ann's Episcopal Church Cemetery, Sayville
• North Babylon Cemetery, Babylon
• Babylon Rural Cemetery, Babylon
• St. Patricks Cemetery, Smithtown
• Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery, Dering Harbor

The Suffolk County Veterans Services Agency is working with local Boy Scout Troops to identify the sites for flag placement and with the Suffolk County Health Department to implement safety measures that meet the current guidance from New York State and the federal government. Among the safety measures that will be put into place include 6-foot separation for flag pick up and mandatory face coverings.

Suffolk County is home to more veterans than any other county in New York State.