Last year on Memorial Day, a long line of small American flags was set up along the coast of Fairfield at Penfield Beach. Residents placed 3,813 flags along the high tide mark to honor veterans and to represent the lives of those who had been, as of that time, lost in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Kurt Soderland, a beach area resident, “The objective [was] to create a temporary and powerful memorial that reminds citizens of the tremendous sacrifices made by our soldiers.” Fairfielders and other beachgoers visited the memorial and walked along the sand in quiet reflection. Now, a year later, the war continues. As of press time, 4,554 American lives have been lost in the conflict, including 35 from Connecticut.
