Memorial Day 2007

[Story]

Just a reminder - what will you be doing at 3PM Monday afternoon?

Memorial Day: Honoring America's Soldiers
By WOL Staff

The Woodlands, TX -- Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. We honor them for their sacrifices which have afforded our country so many freedoms and privileges that often go overlooked. To help understand the holiday and its origins, here are some facts about Memorial Day you may not know.

- On May 5, 1868 Memorial Day was officially proclaimed by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was first observed on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

- In 1873, New York became the first state to officially recognize the holiday.

- By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states, but the South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed to honor Americans who died fighting in any war).

- Since the late 1950's on the Thursday before Memorial Day, soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry have placed small American flags at each of the gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing.

- In May of 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson officailly declared Waterloo, New York as the birthplace of Memorial Day.

- In 1971, Congress passed the National Holiday Act, which ensured that the holiday would always create a three day weekend, and Memorial day is now celebrated on the last Monday in May.

- In December of 2000, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed. The resolution asked that at 3:00 p.m. local time, all Americans "voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."

http://www.remember.gov/MomentofRemembrance/tabid/54/Default.aspx

 

[Parallel Guy]

Thanks for the post.

I just spent the day teaching a bunch of kids about Memorial Day. More than half didn't have any idea what the day was for. Believe me, by the end of the lesson they did.

I think one of the reason we have become so devisive as a nation is that we have commericalized all the non-secular holidays to the point that they are only a free shopping day. Kids want and need to know that they belong to something larger than themselves and that there is a tremendous cost that must be paid to maintain it. When we trivialize or ignore or too-lightly pass over these remebrances, we prove to younger people that cynics are right and it really is all about the money.

 

[Story]

Thanks for the post. .

Thanks for trying to knock some sense of gravitas into them.

One wonders what their parents were doing, instead of instilling it.

3PM, folks.

Just one minute.

 

[deanglen]

In my Bible class this morning I asked if anyone remembered "Decoration Day". Only some of the older folks. I asked if they remembered why it was called that. In some ways I find it a better name. It refers to public acknowledgement of the supreme sacrifice, "decorating" with the national symbol of our flag, the resting places of heroes. I will be present at the VFW ceremony in town tomorrow. I never served as they did, but I can appreciate their service to all of us. Glad you posted this thread, Story.:eusa_clap

dean

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Thank you, Story. Our soldiers, past and present, don't get nearly the respect they deserve. And very few teach respect for our soldiers - or anyone else, for that matter - to our children.

Parallel Guy and deanglen, thank you for teaching those that you could.

I will remember three o'clock tomorrow.


Lee

 

[Diamondback]

Amen. I just can't say anything more than that.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Remembering Sacrifices

My husband wore his Army uniform all day Sunday and Monday for Memorial Day. He is now on a plane back to Iraq after 2 weeks of rest and rejuvenation.

 

[Big Man]

On Saturday prior to Memorial Day I took my youngest daughter and my grandchildren around the county to visit the old cemeteries where our family members who served are buried. This was our last stop at the old Glenwood Cemetery in McDowell County, NC where my great grandfather is buried. He was a veteran of the Civil War (both the Confederate and the Union armies - it's a long story).

I wanted to accomplish two things. First, to make sure that my children and grandchildren understand that many, many, many men and women sacrificed so very much for our freedom. Second, to ensure that the younger generations of the family never "forget" the older generations. As we traveled from cemetery to cemetery we talked about this and that grandpa and grandma or this and that uncle and aunt, where they lived, what they did, and what ever old stories about them that were told to me by my grandparents.

If you know anything at all about your family members who have passed on, especially those who were veterans; please take the time to share whatever you have with your children. I am so grateful that, as a child, my grandmother took the time to take me to "visit the graves" on Memorial Day.

 

[Clarke]

I grew up with Memorial Day in my household. We have an old cemetery next-door that as kids we remember as the day the guns were fired. As kids we hoped to get some spent shells from the veterans, which we did at the World War II monument in town.

I guess that as you grow older you appreciate what Memorial Day was. As scout I've been honored to assist with decorating the graves. As a result I do my best to remember what this day means to so many of us. I'd like to share with all of you some of my pictures I took yesterday of the flags:

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[DOUGLAS]

I was in DC over the weekend for the Memorial Day Concert. I wish we as a Country would do more for our Troops. I was lucky enough to attend the Concert and reception afterward.