May 18, 2012
Honoring Memorial Day
Memorial Day, which is
observed on the last Monday
in May, honors all the men
and women of the American
military who died while
serving our country
throughout American history.
If not for those who gave
their lives for our nation,
our country and the freedoms
most likely would not exist.
While some view the day as
simply the beginning of
summer, we must not lose
sight of the true origins
and purpose of Memorial Day.
Memorial Day originated in
the years following the
Civil War. More than 600,000
lives were lost during the
Civil War, far more than any
other conflict in U.S.
history. With so many lives
lost on our own American
soil, the country’s first
national cemeteries were
established. The Civil War
ended in 1865, and by the
late 1860s, Americans in
many towns and cities began
holding springtime homages
to these fallen soldiers,
decorating their graves and
saying prayers.
Memorial Day, or Decoration
Day as it was first called,
originally honored only
those lost while fighting in
the Civil War. But during
World War I, the United
States found itself involved
in another major war, and
the holiday changed to honor
all American military
persons who died in all
wars. Memorial Day became an
official federal holiday in
1971.
Many Americans observe
Memorial Day by visiting
cemeteries or memorials,
decorating graves, or
wearing a red poppy in honor
of those who died while
serving our nation. Others
hold family gatherings and
participate in parades.
Cities and towns across the
United States host Memorial
Day parades each year, often
incorporating military
personnel and members of
veterans’ organizations.
Notably, since the late
1950’s, on the Thursday
before Memorial Day, the
1,200 soldiers of the 3d
U.S. Infantry (the Old
Guard) position small
American flags at each of
the 260,000 gravestones at
Arlington National Cemetery.
Members of the Old Guard
then patrol 24 hours a day
during the weekend to make
sure that each flag remains
standing. This is just one
way our armed forces pay
respect to those who have
died while serving their
country.
Proper flag etiquette is
another way to observe
Memorial Day. On Memorial
Day, the American
flag should be hung at
half-staff until noon, when
it should be raised to the
top of the staff.
According to the Department
of Veterans Affairs, in the
morning, the flag should be
raised briskly to the top of
the flag pole, and then
slowly lowered to the
mid-way point of the pole.
At the end of the day the
flag should be slowly and
ceremoniously lowered and
removed. In
2000, a law was enacted
making 3pm on Memorial Day
of every year the National
Moment of Remembrance, as a
way to bring significance
back to this honored day.
Memorial Day events around
the state and nation pay
tribute to our American
heroes who have defended,
and continue to defend, our
freedoms.
I
hope you and your family
honor them in your own way,
whether by visiting a
cemetery and placing flags
or flowers on Veterans'
graves, visiting a War
Memorial, attending a parade
in tribute of our fallen
heroes, or wearing a red
poppy. Remember who they
are, and remember what they
did for our state and great
nation.
-30-
Sen. Kedzie can be
reached in Madison at P.O.
Box 7882, Madison, WI
53707-7882 or by calling
toll-free 1 (800) 578-1457.
He may be reached in the
district at (262) 742-2025
or on-line at
www.senatorkedzie.com
