HONORING MEMORIAL DAY

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. Over two dozen cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day.

Regardless of the exact date or location of its origins, one thing is clear – Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. “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 of Decoration Day, as he called it, 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.

Photo from History.com
Memorial Day - History.com

Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2018 occurs on Monday, May 28. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.

Memorial Day Videos

To all who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice, I honor and express my undying gratitude for their service to our nation. To their families, I lift them up in spirit for their loss. Our country is great because of her people and the values we all hold dear.

May you all have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day.

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God such men lived." ~George S. Patton

I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. ~Nathan Hale



We live in a time of conflict - external and internal - when we sometimes concentrate too much on what divides us. Today, fly the Stars and Stripes with pride and confidence that what unites is far stronger. ~Charlie Dent

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." – Joseph Campbell

May our eternal gratitude for the sacrifice our men and women have made throughout our history bring us peace and hope for a better tomorrow.


Memorial Day Greetings and Inspirational Honor Quotes