Memorial Day 2021

Memorial Day Jefferson Barracks Cemetery

It's always interesting each year to see how many people truly understand the meaning of Memorial Day in the United States. I see many posts with people thanking those who are currently in the military (that is Armed Forces Day), or expressing appreciation to our veterans (that is Veterans Day). 

But Memorial Day was established to pay tribute to those who died while serving in the military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War. It became an official federal holiday in 1971.

Cities and towns across the United States host Memorial Day parades each year, often incorporating military personnel and members of veterans’ organizations. Some of the largest parades take place in Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Americans also observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. Some people wear a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war—a tradition that began with a World War I poem, In Flanders Field by John McCrae.

The National Moment of Remembrance, which asks that Americans pause in silence to honor those who have died serving the U.S., takes place at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day. Here in our community we have an opportunity to listen to Glenn Proctor, a former Marine, Pulitzer Prize winning author and motivational speaker. I suspect he will inspire us to be better Americans as we reflect on those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.