Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May, is an American CELEBRATION that honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
I first want to express my wholehearted deepest gratitude and respect for all the brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Your unwavering commitment, selfless sacrifice, and dedication to protecting our nation and its Constitution are truly commendable.
Each one of you, from every branch of service - the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force - has made invaluable contributions to safeguarding our freedoms and way of life. Your courage in the face of adversity, your resilience in times of challenge, and your steadfast love for God and our country are an inspiration to us all.
I stand in awe of your service, a Holy reverence and am reminded of the immense debt of gratitude we owe you. As for this patriot, your sacrifices have not gone unnoticed, and your efforts will never be forgotten. I pledge my unwavering support and appreciation for all you have done and continue to do.
Thank you for your service. May God bless you and the future of the United States of America.
This post is dedicated to each of you, as well as my father & father-in-law, Charles L. Phinney & Carl Ver Steeg, as a statement & testament to our support and appreciation for your bravery in serving our country. We remember, it’s always a good idea to express our support in our own words the sacrifices you made in protecting our freedom.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The Civil War, which ended in the spring of 1865, claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and required the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. In the beginning, it was known as a Christian celebration honoring all the fallen soldiers.
One of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations was organized by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. However, in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Waterloo was chosen because it hosted an annual, community-wide event, during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.
Decoration Day
On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there.
Memorial Day: An Official Federal Holiday
Many Northern states held similar commemorative events and reprised the tradition in subsequent years; by 1890 each one had made Decoration Day an official state holiday. Southern states, on the other hand, continued to honor the deceased soldiers on separate days until after World War I. It was after World War I that the day came to be observed in honor of those who had died in all U.S. wars, and its name changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. Since 1971 Memorial Day has been observed on the last Monday in May.
Today, Memorial Day is observed with the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, and by religious services, parades, and speeches nationwide. It serves as a solemn reminder of the sacrifice and bravery of the men and women who have given their lives in service to our country. Unofficially, it also marks the beginning of the summer season.
MEMORIAL DAY: Land of The Brave