Memorial Day

What is Memorial Day? First, a little history behind it.

On May 5, 1868, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that May 30th will be celebrated as Decoration Day. This was set up as a day for Americans to decorate the graves of our war dead. It is generally assumed that the date was chosen because flowers should be in bloom across the country. The proclamation read “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.”

After WWI, the name was changed to Memorial Day to provide for memorializing the dead from all American wars.

Then, in 1971, another act of Congress declared Memorial Day as a national holiday. The date was also changed to the last Monday of May.

But what does Memorial Day mean?

Unfortunately, the meaning behind Memorial Day has gotten lost over the years. For many people, it is the unofficial start of summer. For others, it is a day to shop great sales. But it is more than that, it kind of became more of a celebration. For military members, Memorial Day is a very solemn occasion where we remember people who have lost their lives in combat.

From the American Revolution to the Global War on Terrorism, more than one million American veterans have made the Supreme Sacrifice. They died so that we could continue to cherish the things they loved – God, country and family. That is why we gather on Memorial Day; to honor the memory of our fallen warriors who have given everything for their country.

No surprise, then, that the commercialization of the Memorial Day Weekend repulses many. Those who have lost a loved one to war, or had casualties shatter their lives, are not impressed when car dealers, appliance salesman and hardware stores mark the day by offering deals you just can’t beat.

Quite a few Americans, it seems, never think of the extra day off as anything more than another long weekend. They may head down to Main Street for the Memorial Day Parade and then race over to the local megamart for last-minute cookout or picnic supplies, never reflecting on why the day has been set apart.

But, to paraphrase Dr Suess, “Maybe Memorial Day doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Memorial Day….perhaps…means a little bit more.”—Ron Rabinowitz, USAF Veteran