Today, when a U.S. military veteran dies, we take it for granted that the federal government will provide the next of kin with a U.S. flag to drape over the casket during funeral services. Obtaining this flag is one of the many routine tasks performed by funeral homes for grieving families.
But, did you know this? — The tradition of federally-funded flags for most veterans dates back only to the 1920s! You can read more about it in Records of Burial Flags for Veterans, NGS Magazine, Vol. 42, No. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 2016): 39-42.
The Twelve Key 
Very nice!
Hi Claire, thanks for telling the history of the burial flags. My brother submitted the paperwork for a flag for our WWII vet father after he died. When he received it, he gave it to the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in California where his cremains were buried. The cemetery added his flag to their Avenue of Flags as you enter the cemetery. Pretty neat!