Shimamoto said she placed her own American flags next to her loved ones' graves. The ceremony at the West Point Cemetery starts Monday at 11 a.m. It’s open to the public.

WEST POINT – When placing flags or laying wreaths on the graves at West Point Cemetery, it's easy to respect the sacrifice made by the men and women whose names are written on the grave stones.

A wreath was laid at the West Point Monument in the cemetery, which sits next to 58 graves of Black soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War. A playing of Taps followed the wreath's placement.