USAA's Poppy Wall of Honor™ Returns to National Mall for Memorial Day Weekend to Remember the Fallen

645,000 poppy flowers serve as remembrance: especially poignant on 50^th anniversary of U.S. exit from Vietnam War

SAN ANTONIO, May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The USAA Poppy Wall of Honor – a temporary installation honoring the more than 645,000 American servicemembers who gave their lives in service to our nation since World War I – will return to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for Memorial Day weekend. New this year, the Poppy Wall of Honor will feature a special panel to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the U.S.'s exit from the Vietnam War, and a digital panel that will display individual remembrances that have been aggregated with #PoppyInMemory.

Since its appearance publicly on the National Mall in 2018, nearly 40,000 visitors have visited the Poppy Wall of Honor, paying their respects to fallen military and learning more about the holiday.

"Memorial Day weekend has long served as the unofficial start to summer with many Americans getting together and enjoying the long weekend. However, it's important to pause and reflect on the true meaning of the holiday – to honor and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country," said VADM (ret) John Bird, senior vice president of Military Affairs at USAA. "As we mark fifty years since the end of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, USAA's Poppy Wall of Honor will pay special tribute to the heroes of that war who didn't make it home, while allowing visitors to pay tribute to all the heroes, the more than 645,000 service members, who have died in service to our nation since World War I."

The Poppy Wall of Honor will be on display from May 26 through May 28 on the National Mall at the base of the Lincoln Memorial between the Reflecting Pool and Korean War Memorial. Visitors can expect to see:

• The Poppy Wall of Honor is 133 feet long and stands 8-1/2 feet tall and contains a two-sided exhibit experience. Visitors will learn more about the true meaning of Memorial Day, the poppy flower and conflicts since WWI.
• More than 645,000 poppy flowers provided by Veterans of Foreign Wars' Buddy Poppies® and The American Legion's Memorial Poppies fill one side of the wall, representing the lives lost since WWI.
• The Poppy Wall will feature a special panel to honor and commemorate the lives lost in the Vietnam War, with 2023 marking 50 years since the U.S.'s exit from Vietnam.
• Visitors may view the Poppy Wall of Honor starting at 12 p.m. EST on Friday, May 26. Full hours of operation will be:
  • Friday, May 26: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST
  • Saturday, May 27: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST
  • Sunday, May 28: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST

In addition to the Poppy Wall of Honor on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., USAA is bringing two smaller poppy exhibits to additional U.S cities. The USS Lexington Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas and the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Va. will host the two exhibits and will offer a similar educational and remembrance experience to the Poppy Wall of Honor on the National Mall. More details and hours can be found at usaa.com/memorialday.

For those not able to view the exhibits in person, you can contribute to the Memorial Day conversation by honoring a loved one or sharing a remembrance using #PoppyInMemory in your social channels. Viewing of the dedications can be found at www.usaadigitalpoppywall.com.

Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and investment and retirement solutions to 13 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, TX, USAA has offices in seven U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 37,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.

Media Contacts:

Laura Propp
USAA Corporate Communications
[email protected]
573.424.3550

Mitch Marier
160over90 (for USAA)
[email protected]
704.493.9975

SOURCE USAA