Field of Flags: Milwaukee display honors 27K+ this Memorial Day

MILWAUKEE - More than 27,000 American flags are on display at Milwaukee's Veterans Park, a Memorial Day weekend tradition that honors the fallen.

"Today, we honor and remember the brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice of serving our country," said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, "unselfishly working to defend our freedoms."

People gathered to honor members of the U.S. Armed Forces who died in the line of duty. Each flag placed represents a Wisconsin resident who died in service to their country from the Civil War onward.

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The Weinkuf and Koerner families were there to remember Bruce Weinkuf and thank him for his service.

"I know dad would've been very humbled by this experience," said Jon Weinkuf, Bruce's son. "This is exactly what dad would love to see."

Field of Flags at Veterans Park

"We became close at the VA, we became very close, and our wives got to be very close friends," Veteran George Koerner said. "I love his family, and some day I will be with him."

Volunteers finished planting the last of the 27,316 American flags for the sprawling "Field of Flags" on Friday. This year's display has nearly twice the number of flags as last year, when 15,015 flags were displayed representing all Wisconsin residents killed in action since World War I.

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The flags will remain up until next Thursday. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.