USAA’s Wall of Poppies Honors Fallen Service Members

On 🇺🇸Memorial Day, 600,000 is not just a number and the poppy is not just a flower.

Put the two together and something remarkable is created.

That something is USAA’s Poppy Wall of Honor, which returned to the National Mall for its sixth year, according to WTOP News. The Wall of Honor is a temporary installation that includes 600,000 poppies — one for each service member who lost their lives serving their country since World War I.

The poppy is a symbol of remembrance.

The wall hold a special significance to Allen “Doc” Hoe, a Vietnam veteran. He donated an American flag he received in battle.

Hoe was the sole survivor from his squad in an attack on Mother’s Day in 1968. He lost 18 team members that day.

When Hoe’s son was fighting in Iraq, he asked his father to send the flag so he could honor his team.

“He sends the flag to his son, and the very day he gets the flag, the son loses his life in combat, and that flag was savored and brought back to Mr. Hoe,” retired Air Force veteran and USAA military affairs member Shelina Frey said.

“Mr. Hoe has held onto this flag for over 55 years, and he was gracious enough to let USAA use it on display. And this is the first time that flag has ever been out of his possession,” Frey said.

Frey noted the wall is more than a bunch of poppies.