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Memorial Day: Honoring the Fallen | Trusted Senior Specialists

05/25/2023 | 05:00 AM | 15 Min Read
Memorial Day: Honoring the Fallen | Trusted Senior Specialists

Remembering Our Heroes on Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a very important day. It is a day in which we take time to stop and reflect, memorialize, and say Thank You to the people who have made tremendous sacrifices for us.

The loyal commitment of these men and women preserves our freedom and awards us with opportunities that many others around the world do not have. We are happy to honor their dedication each and every year on Memorial Day!

Memorial Day is a solemn day of remembrance for those that have died while serving in the American Armed Forces. The holiday, which originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868, is observed every year, now on the last Monday in the month of May. Over two dozen cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, however in May of 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson officially declared Waterloo N.Y. as the birthplace of Memorial Day. While it is difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day and location, one thing is clear, Memorial Day was born out of a desire to honor our deceased military members.

It was officially proclaimed on May 5th 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.

Arlington National Cemetary, Memorial Day History

Just like in 1868, a national Memorial Day observance continues to be held annually at Arlington National Cemetery. During this ceremony, the president speaks and lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, also places little American flags at the grave sites of service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery on the Thursday before Memorial Day. Also on this day, the flag of the United States is raised to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains that way only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day. The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who have given their lives in service of their country. At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

What a great sacrifice that these men and women have made for us! We here at Trusted Senior Specialists offer a sincere Thank You to all of our fallen military members, and to those that have served and continue to serve. Also to the families who have sacrificed much so these brave heroes could serve and protect our country, Thank You. So this weekend, while we are all enjoying the beginning of Summer, let’s make sure to take a minute to remember and honor these brave men and women who went before us, who fought for our freedoms, the ones we often take for granted. Freedom isn’t free, for some pay the ultimate price.

In Flanders Fields

John McCRae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place, and in the sky,

The larks, still bravely singing, fly,

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead; short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe!

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high!

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

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