Volunteers place wreaths at Arlington, Camp Lewis

A huge number of volunteers placed wreaths on tombstones Saturday at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.

WTOP-FM reports the annual event drew a large crowd, with more than 245,000 wreaths placed at grave sites.

The Wreaths Across America caravan traveled earlier this month from Columbia Falls, Maine, where the wreaths were made. The caravan went through several states before arriving in Arlington.

The grand marshals are Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient Roger Donlon and his wife, Norma Donlon.

The tradition began when Maine wreath-maker Morrill Worcester donated 5,000 wreaths to Arlington Cemetery. A total of 1.2 million wreaths will be placed on markers across the country in 1,238 locations.

At the Camp Lewis Cemetery at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, there are 1,194 graves, and on Saturday a ceremony was held and a wreath was placed on each one.