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Memorial Day- Remembering Our Fallen Heroes

Tuesday May 22, 2007

    This official time of Remembrance dates back to the Civil War and the very unofficial out of tribute when women began decorating the graves of   soldiers with flowers and wreaths as a remembrance.  In 1868 Commander and Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, Gen. John Logan, designated May 30 as a day to honor   the fallen by  “...strewing with flowers and otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion…”

    Originally called Decoration Day, the first National observance was held May 30, 1868 at Arlington National Cemetery, where the nation took a step toward healing Civil War wounds by honoring both Union and Confederate soldiers.  The name was changed to Memorial Day in 1882.

    Many towns claim to be the first to officially observe the holiday, but in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson designated Waterloo, NY as the official birthplace.  Waterloo began observing the holiday around 1873 and has continued annually.

    In 1971 Federal Law changed the observance of the holiday from May 30th to the last Monday in May and officially extended it to include all who died in service to our country in American wars.  A few states continue to observe the May 30 date, and some southern states have a separate holiday to honor Confederate soldiers.  In 1999, Senator Inouye and Representative Gibbons introduced bills S189 (Jan.) and H.R. 1471 (April) proposing to return Memorial Day to its original May 30th date. S 189 has been reintroduced several times since then.  The bills have been referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Government Reform.  

    In 1997, No Greater Love, a non-profit organization in the US which is dedicated to helping families and friends of those who have lost loved ones … “in service to our country  or in an act of terrorism” (ngl.org), initiated the Annual National Moment of Remembrance. On December 28, 2000 the National Moment of Remembrance was made official by an act of Congress and is now sponsored by the White House Commission on Remembrance. All Americans are asked to pause for one minute at 3p.m. local time on Memorial Day to honor those who died for our freedom.

Day is done, gone the sun, from the hills, from the lake, from the sky,
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
 
Go to sleep, peaceful sleep, May the soldier, or sailor, God keep
On the land, or the deep, safe in sleep.
 
Love, goodnight, must thou go, when the day and the night need thee so?
All is well, speedeth all to their rest.
 
Fades the light, and after goeth day, and the stars shineth bright,
Fare thee well, day is gone, night is on.
 
Thanks and praise, for our days, ‘Neath the sun, ‘neath the stars, ‘neath the sky,
As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

Words to “Taps”, popular version (www.westpoint.org)

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