Veteran Raises Money for Flags for DFW National Cemetery

Man wants to place flags at each grave site for Memorial Day

A Cleburne man raised $12,000 to buy 27,000 American flags for Memorial Day.

Bob Fussner wants to place a flag on each of the grave sites at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery in Grand Prairie.

"It just really shows proper respect for our veterans," he said.

Unlike older national cemeteries, DFW National Cemetery doesn't provide individual flags for each gravesite. Instead, it lines the long boulevard leading through the gates with American flags.

"These are flags that have covered the casket of one of our fallen heroes," said Ozzie Garza, of the Veterans Affairs Regional Office.

But Fussner, a Marine veteran, said he wants to do more.

"We still have wounded veterans coming home every day and veterans that have been killed in action, and this is a very small way of honoring them and also preserving the history of the veterans that have served in years past," he said.

Fussner and other veterans have already lined up enough volunteers to place the small flags. He originally asked for 230, but by Friday afternoon, he had more than 700.

This is only the beginning for Fussner. He's created a non-profit organization, Flags for Fallen Vets, and wants to eventually see a flag placed on every veteran gravesite.

His next goal is to place 80,000 flags at Houston National Cemetery for Veteran's Day. Fussner hopes the flags spark a new desire in kids to view the cemetery in an entirely different way.

"It shouldn't be a place that they're frightened," he said. "It should be a place that parents can educate them on the price that freedom costs."

Volunteers will meet Sunday morning to place the flags at Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery .

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