Although world peace would certainly be wonderful, war is a sad reality of the way things work. Every country has armed forces compromised of brave men and women that are ready to lay down their lives to protect their country’s people and beliefs. The United States Military has long been a force committed to upholding justice and the ideal of freedom, but unfortunately, many members of the armed forces have made the ultimate sacrifice to help keep the U.S. safe and secure. For this reason, Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day is a time to commemorate and respect the memory of those soldiers that have fallen in combat in any military actions since the Civil War, and as such, it is a day for solemn contemplation on the depth of these soldiers’ sacrifice and on the importance of having such a brave and dedicated force protecting us. Although individual communities throughout the country host Memorial Day observances, there are several observances that take place on a national level, making the Memorial Day weekend a great time for travel.
The history of Memorial Day is not fully understood, as dozens of cities across the country claim to have hosted the first Memorial Day services back during the time of the Civil War. Originally called Decoration Day, the holiday came about as a custom of decorating the graves of fallen Union and Confederate soldiers swept the country. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York to be the official birthplace of Memorial Day, but such a declaration is still contested in many parts of the country. Despite these claims, Memorial Day is still seen as a time to come together and honor the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces from all over the country. General John Logan is credited with having proclaimed the first Memorial Day on May 5, 1868 and it was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the Arlington National Cemetery. New York was the first state to officially recognize the holiday, making it official in 1873, and by 1890, all of the states in the North had recognized it. After World War I, the South began to officially recognize Memorial Day when the purpose of the holiday changed from honoring those killed during the Civil War to honoring any soldier killed in any military action.
The traditional way to observe Memorial Day is to visit cemeteries and memorials in order to pay due respect to the deceased soldiers. At 3:00 PM, US Eastern Time, a national moment of remembrance takes place. The flag is also flown at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. National Cemeteries, which are any of 139 nationally important, usually military, cemeteries in the United States, are especially significant, as volunteers from all over the country come to visit and leave an American flag upon each grave site. Memorial Day is a common time for family picnics, barbeques, and other lighthearted get-togethers, mostly due to the fact that a three-day weekend is created by the holiday, giving families time to get together. Sporting events are often held during Memorial Day weekend, the most notable of which being the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction Memorial Day weekend every year since 1911. It is also common on Memorial Day for families to remember other family members that have passed away, whether they passed away during military action or not. Otherwise, though, the holiday is exclusively a time for remembering fallen soldiers – giving a member of the Armed Forces a gift on Memorial Day, for example, would be taboo.
In addition to national observances that take place on Memorial Day and throughout Memorial Day weekend, many individual communities host Memorial Day observations. During these observations, fallen soldiers who were members of the community are remembered in a service that is usually held at a church or a town memorial park. Fire and police departments also commonly use Memorial Day as a time to remember fallen colleagues that gave their lives in the line of duty. Many towns and communities hold Memorial Day parades in which community organizations, members of local emergency service teams, Rotary Clubs, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, bands from local high schools, and members of the American Legion are often a part. Another such community event is a picnic or a barbeque held in a town meeting place that allows the members of the community to get together and pay due respect to fallen soldiers.
One of the most popular Memorial Day events is the National Memorial Day Parade, which takes place in Washington D.C. and is hosted by the American Veterans Center. The parade began in 2005 thanks to the American Veterans Center due to the fact that Washington D.C. had not had a Memorial Day parade for nearly 70 years. Although the parade takes place in Washington D.C., the entire country is invited to attend the parade, an event wholly devoted to the spirit of Memorial Day and the honoring of fallen soldiers. Despite the parade’s relative youth, it managed to draw over 250,000 spectators in its second year, with Americans of all ages coming together to pay due respects to the men and women that have fallen in defense of our country. Over 200 different entities take part in the parade, including marching bands, active duty and retired military units, youth groups, parade floats, community members, and hundreds of veterans from military actions dating back to World War II. The parade is a very moving event that honors the deaths of soldiers from conflicts dating back to the American Revolution all the way up to Operation Iraqi Freedom, making it the perfect opportunity for communities, friends, and families to come together and share a beautiful experience. This year’s parade will take place on May 25, 2009, and the number of spectators is expected to increase well above 250,000.
Unfortunately, many efforts have been made by veterans groups to increase awareness of the true significance of Memorial Day, as many of these groups have expressed concerns that the meaning of the holiday is shifting away from honoring fallen troops and toward having a three-day weekend near the end of May. Because we certainly benefit from the sacrifices that our nation’s armed forces make every day to keep us safe, we owe it to these brave men and women who have given everything to pay respect on Memorial Day. The three-day weekend is a wonderful time to get together with family and friends through picnics and barbeques, but it is also a great time to participate in a community Memorial Day activity, to visit a National Cemetery to pay respect to fallen soldiers, and to take a moment to reflect upon the fact that there are people whose job it is to keep us safe. This year, Memorial Day will take place on May 25, 2009, and if you do not have any plans otherwise, why not take some time out of the three-day weekend to honor our troops in whatever way you see fit?
