Photo by Valentino Funghi
Memorial Day: Remember and Honor
Often conflated with Veterans Day, which pays tribute to military veterans every November 11th, Memorial Day is the day we honor the women and men who died while serving in the US Armed Forces in all wars.
There are some things that Gold Star families want you to know this Memorial Day. From the Military Times,
"In today's world, some think Memorial Day is solely dedicated to the fallen from decades-old wars...'Freedom is not free,' and in our post 9/11 world, personal freedoms can't be taken for granted. All currently serving military personnel contribute in some way to protecting our freedoms; some pay dearly. Memorial Day is for honouring those who have recently died, too."
The origins of Memorial Day, initially called Decoration Day, date back to the Civil War - where the custom of decorating the graves of lost soldiers began. Its date (formally May 30th although always recognized at the end of May) was chosen expressly because it wasn’t associated with a specific battle. It became an official holiday in 1971.
Progress takes time...