05/25/2026
A Field of Flags, A Field of Honor: District 5340 Remembers the Fallen
Here is an article in the District 5340 Newsletter. We were lucky enough to have a few Rotarians from our Club help put out the American flags. Thank you Ryan, Lori, Darol, Linda and Ruth.
With appreciation in their hearts, a breeze in the air, and the sun warm on their backs, Rotarians from across District 5340 gathered at Miramar National Cemetery to honor the Americans who gave their lives so that we may live in freedom. What began in quiet reflection soon became a powerful display of unity, gratitude, and service.
As silence settled over the grounds, the haunting notes of taps drifted across the cemetery — a call to remembrance and the signal that the day’s service was about to begin. Rotarians and their families moved with reverence among the rows of headstones, placing an American flag at the base of each veteran’s grave. With every flag, a name was spoken aloud. A rank was honored. A branch of service was remembered. It was a simple act, yet profoundly moving — a reminder that freedom is never free, and that every life represented here once stood in its defense.
In just a couple of hours, more than 500 Rotarians and family members placed 23,000 flags, transforming the cemetery into a breathtaking sea of red, white, and blue. It was time well spent — a tribute offered not out of obligation, but out of love, gratitude, and Rotary’s enduring commitment to Service Above Self.
This remarkable tradition began with one man’s vision.
Rick Clark, a Navy Seabees veteran of the Vietnam War and past president of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club, was inspired by his father, Clyde Clark, a World War II veteran whose unit helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp. When Rick learned that Miramar National Cemetery lacked the funding and ceremonial recognition seen at other national cemeteries, he imagined something bold: a flag placed at every single gravesite.
He knew Rotary — and he knew Rotarians, People of Action, would rise to the challenge. What started with a grant in its first year is now sustained entirely by private donations and the unwavering dedication of District 5340’s Military Coordinating Committee. The effort is further supported by Rotarian Jim Frost, owner of Frost Lumber and Hardwood, who generously stores the flags and logistical equipment needed to make this massive operation possible.
And so, Rick’s vision became reality — not because of one person, but because an entire district believed in it. Rotarians showed up in great numbers, families joined in, and together they created a living tribute that grows more meaningful each year.
It was, in every sense, a remarkable day.
A day of remembrance.
A day of gratitude.
A day when service became a bridge between past and present — honoring those who served and reminding us of the responsibility we carry forward.
