SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Flags on Broughton is an annual tradition in Savannah. The Veterans Council of Chatham County, along with dozens of volunteers, raise American flags downtown ahead of the Veterans Day parade.

“Tonight is one of our happy events… also, a little bit somber at the same time,” Joe Higgins, Chairman of the Veterans Council, said.

This year, there are 45 flags high above five blocks on Broughton Street. Each of them previously served a very solemn purpose.

“The flags are actually donated casket flags of veterans, which is where the somber part comes in,” Higgins said.

The names of those veterans are written on each flag.

“When you round the corner of Montgomery Street and you turn down Broughton for that last little section of the parade, and the people around both sides and those flags are up there. I get chills every time I do it,” he recalled.

In Chatham County alone, there are over 28,000 veterans.

“We serve, we protect, and defend the constitution and the flag. So, having these flags up there and displaying them down the street for everybody to see. Our tourists and our locals, it means a whole lot to us, because that’s what we represented the entire time that we served,” he said.

The flags will remain until Nov. 14.