We all love the holidays. And one more is coming up. Many think of it as a time of fun and frolicking or great sales. Memorial Day tends to mark the unofficial start of summer.
This day is a solemn occasion and needs to be remembered with respect, dedicated to honoring the men and women who have died while serving their country. Take a moment to learn the true meaning of Memorial Day. It’s also important to recognize the difference between this day and Veterans Day (especially for vets). Learn why it was originally called Decoration Day, why the red poppy is a symbol, and when/how to fly the flag.
Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces, chiefly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. In other words, the purpose of Memorial Day is to memorialize the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL who served in the United States Armed Forces—in wartime or peacetime—regardless of whether they died or survived.
Memorial Day originated in the aftermath of the Civil War; which remains the deadliest conflict in U.S. history. It started as an event to honor Union soldiers who had died during the Civil War. It was inspired by the way “Southern states decorated the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags.”
It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, when General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for “a nationwide day of remembrance for over 620,000 soldiers killed in the civil conflict.” It was known as Decoration Day, a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Over time, the observance was expanded to honor all Americans who have died in military service.
After World War I, Decoration Day included all fallen soldiers, not just those from the Civil War, and the term ‘Memorial Day’ started being used. By World War II, Memorial Day became the term across states who adopted resolutions to make it an official holiday. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress, though it is still often called Decoration Day.
Flag etiquette on Memorial Day is unique. At sunrise, flags are to be raised to full staff briskly, and then lowered to a half-staff position, where they remain until noon. Memorial Day is the only holiday on which flags are placed on the graves of those who served their country, whether they fell in battle or retired after 20 years of faithful military service.
And why is the poppy a symbol of Memorial Day? In the war-torn battlefields of Europe, the common red field poppy was one of the first plants to reappear. Its seeds scattered in the wind and sat dormant in the ground, only germinating when the ground was disturbed—as it was by the very brutal fighting of World War I.
John McCrae, a Canadian soldier and physician, witnessed the war firsthand and was inspired to write the now-famous poem “In Flanders Fields” in 1915. He saw the poppies scattered throughout the battlefield surrounding his artillery position in Belgium.
“The opening line refers directly to the sight Lt. Col. McCrae witnessed as he, a physician, walked among the crosses laid out to mark the site of so many who died for their counties. While the poppies grew among the graves, they are also a resilient flower. The poppy is able to lay dormant for many years in the soil only to reappear in great numbers, covering fields which had lay bare for many years previously.
This also held significance for Lt. Col. McCrae as he wrote of the heroes who appeared in great numbers to come to the aid of others against oppression and tyranny during this Great War, and who would lie dormant until their call was heard again.”
The poppy was traditionally worn on Memorial Day in the United States, but the symbolism has evolved to encompass all veterans, living and deceased, so that poppies are often worn on Veterans Day as well. Not long after the custom began, it was adopted by other Allied nations, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Arlington National Cemetery offers a humble formal Ceremony to honor Memorial Day. “Just before Memorial Day weekend, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (the “Old Guard”) honors America’s fallen heroes by placing American flags at gravesites for service members buried at Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery.
This tradition, known as “Flags In,” has taken place annually since the Old Guard was designated as the Army’s official ceremonial unit in 1948. Every available soldier in the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment participates, placing small American flags in front of more than 228,000 headstones and at the bottom of about 7,000 niche rows in the cemetery’s Columbarium Courts and Niche Wall. Each flag is inserted into the ground, exactly one boot length from the headstone’s base.
At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Sentinels (who are members of the Old Guard) place flags to honor the Unknowns. Army chaplains place flags in front of the headstones and four memorials located on Chaplains’ Hill in Section 2. All flags are removed after Memorial Day, before the cemetery opens to the public.”
So on this day we honor those men and women who paid the ultimate price. “Memorial Day 2024 provides an opportunity for Americans to come together in gratitude for those who have given their lives in service to their country. It serves as a reminder of the cost of freedom and the duty to cherish and protect it for future generations. As we enjoy the freedoms secured by their ultimate sacrifice, engaging in commemorative activities fosters a deeper appreciation and respect for those who have served and sacrificed.”