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| Willamette National Cemetery |
In grateful memory to those who died defending us and those who have served and passed on.
Memorial (Decoration) Day:
Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.
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It was not until after World War I, however, that the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress, though it is still often called Decoration Day.
6 comments:
Few know that what we now call Memorial Day was originally Decoration Day. Cool!
And interesting that we often use the day to remember family members who have passed on as well as those in the military. In Brazil they have a day honoring the dead (November 2) after Halloween and All Saints Day (November 1).
I believe that you're the first person I've encountered who actually knew about Decoration Day. And here I thought I was unique!
Max, you are unique. And irreplaceable!
Hey! I'll have you know that my sexual organs are intact, thank you very much! Oh, not "eunich". Nevermind....:-)
No non-productiveness in you, Max. Heh.
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