A stiff wind snapped thousands of small American flags taut Saturday as a squall rolled in over Fort Adams in Newport. The flags were guardians to more than 7,600 pairs of combat boots on display at the fort – an annual Memorial Day tribute to American troops lost in combat since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The Boots on the Ground for Heroes memorial display at the historical fortress is organized by Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, a private, nonprofit organization that supports veterans with comprehensive services and programs.

 The empty boots, each pair anchored to a flag and bearing a tag with information on a fallen member of the armed services, create a moving display as they stretch in seemingly endless rows across the pentagonal parade grounds inside the historic fort.

 Visitors walked silently up and down the rows, often stopping to read the name tags or secure a flag being tugged loose by the wind. Here and there, visitors had tucked yellow roses of remembrance into some of the boots.

Tom and Brenda Fayed said they were glad they took the time to stop at the fort and found the display profoundly moving. “We lived in the area for years, but this is the first time we’ve come to see it,” Brenda Fayed said. “I’m glad we did. It means a lot to see this.”

Operation Stand Down, which is based in Johnston, launched the Boots on the Ground display in 2016 at Roger Williams Park in Providence. Three years later it moved the display to the 6.5-acre parade ground at Fort Adams, where it is open and free to the public for the entire Memorial Day weekend.

The logistics of the display and setting up thousands of pairs of combat boots is a testament to a determination to “never forget” and also to an army of volunteer supporters.

 Hundreds of volunteers were stationed at Fort Adams days in advance to secure the boots in place. Each pair has a placard with the name and a photo of the U.S. service member, along with biographical information. The memorial is updated every year to include any service members killed on the ongoing “Global War on Terror,” Operation Stand Down states on its website.

The boots are organized alphabetically and by state and U.S. territory to make it easier for visitors. There is also a special circle for Rhode Islanders, with the state flag anchored in the center. The boots there are desert tan, while the other boots throughout the memorial are black.

Some boots, particularly those in the Rhode Island circle, had coins placed atop the toes. The denomination of the coins carries significance, and the practice stems from a military tradition that arose during the Vietnam War era. A quarter is the most significant coin to leave and indicates that the visitor was with the service member when they died. A dime means the visitor served in the military with the deceased, and a nickel means they spent time together in training.

A penny is simply a way to mark someone’s visiting the memorial and wanting to leave a tangible symbol of gratitude for national service and ultimate sacrifice.

This year’s Boots on the Ground for Heroes sponsors included AMGEN, the Tilley Family, Seasons Corner Market, Cardi’s Furniture & Mattresses, Corvias, IGT, Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, Flood Ford, Riverhead Building Supply and Brown Medicine/Brown Physicians Inc.

A team from Operation Stand Down Rhode Island was at the memorial all weekend, ready to answer visitors’ questions. George Luttge of OSDRI said the organization is grateful to all the volunteers who helped make the display possible but also to the thousands of visitors who took the time to reflect on the losses on a busy holiday weekend.

“Those represent are our brothers and our sisters,” he said, gesturing toward the grassy field of boots and flags. “It means a lot to us to see people stop by here and remember them.”