“As America celebrates Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those who have given their lives in our nation’s wars.” John M. McHugh
Memorial Day is designated as a day of remembrance and dedicated to honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. On this somber day, we take a moment out of their lives to pay tribute to those who willingly go into harm’s way to protect their fellow citizens against all enemies, foreign and domestic and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Memorial Day is usually celebrated by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.
Did you know?
- Memorial Day used to have a different name. It was originally known as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868.
- The first Memorial Day celebration. In 1966, President Johnson named Waterloo, New York as the original place of Memorial Day, but the true origin of the first celebration is still a debated subject.
- A federal holiday. Though we’ve been honoring our fallen soldiers since the 1800s, Memorial Day didn’t become a federal holiday until 1971 when Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday.
- It’s legally required to observe a National Moment of Remembrance. In 2000, Congress passed a law that requires all Americans to stop what they are doing at 3pm on Memorial Day to remember and to honor those who have died serving the United States. President Clinton signed this action.
- Wearing poppies. The tradition of wearing red poppies on Memorial Day originated from John McCrae’s 1915 poem In Flanders Fields. In Canada, they wear red poppies to honor their soldiers on Remembrance Day in November each year.
- Half-staff. If you have a flag pole in your front yard, this holiday honors fallen soldiers so your flag should be flying at half-staff until noon.
- Early tradition. Although not as popular today, one tradition was to eat a picnic meal while sitting on the ground of a cemetery.
- A voluntary army. By July 1, 1973, the draft was eliminated. Newly elected President Richard M. Nixon requested that the Department of Defense eliminate the draft and create an all-volunteer force.
Sacrifice deserves gratitude. It’s heroic that someone is willing to leave their family, to dedicate themselves and risk their life to defend our nation. Those who died in service to our country deserve our appreciation, our thanks, and a moment of our time and thoughts this Memorial Day.
We should all be thankful every single day, but today, thank you to every individual who has served. I appreciate your service and sacrifice.
“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.” Jeff Miller
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Althea
Althea A. McLeish Wilson, RN, MSN
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