Memorial Day

What are your memories of Memorial Day? Are they long weekends? Are they a visits to the beach or barbecues? Perhaps watching the Indy 500? Did you know that the true date for Memorial Day was always May 30th?

Decoration Day was designated May 30th 1868, as day to decorate or strew flowers on the graves of comrades that had given their life to the service of the Union. The Civil War (or the War Between the States as it was known in the south) had ended in 1865 and the day was set aside to celebrate the lives lost during that war. By 1882, it became Memorial Day, to remember all of the war dead of the Union Army and the Southern Army. May 30th remained the date because there were no significant battles on the that day. In 1968 the Uniform Holidays bill moved 3 holidays now celebrated as President’s Day, Veterans Day and Memorial Day to a specified Monday to create a three day weekend. Memorial Day is the last Monday in May.

As a child my Memorial Day was always celebrated at my grandparents house. Mom always dressed my sister and I, in red, white and blue. My Grandfather was a doughboy who fought in France, my Dad was a GI Joe in the Philippines, my Uncle John was on the USS Montpellier and entered Hiroshima after the Japanese surrendered. But this day was always my Grandmothers day, she was a Gold Star Mother. Her oldest son, Jimmy, was killed in 1942, he was a pilot in the Army Air Corp. Every year she was picked up for the parade where she, and the other Gold Star Mothers would be escorted to the monument where remembrances were held for all the war dead. They would sit there with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts, for there sons as the roll call was announced ending with a 21 gun salute. The day would always be full of stories of Uncle Jimmy as a child, as a youth full of life, and as six month newlywed to Eileen they were married the day after Jimmy got his wings. The day would always end with Kate Smith singing God Bless America on the turntable. This was a day Grandmother could remember without regret of her sons sacrifice.

Today, with Afghanistan and Iraq wars being fought, buy a poppy from a VFW volunteer, hang your flag, thank a vet for their service, but remember those Gold Star Mothers who's sons and daughters have given their lives in service to their country. Their loss is as immeasurable as their pride.