Sergeant Gause has placed 167 flags at Bladen Memorial Gardens.
by Danna Martínez
Memorial Day recognizes all the United States Military Service Members who have died while serving the nation. This year, Memorial Day will come to pass on May 31.
The Civil War (1865) was one of the most harmful conflicts throughout U.S History. It’s considered that this conflict has claimed a significant life amount. The Civil War resulted in the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. All over the United States, American families began to show tribute to fallen soldiers. Decorating service members’ graves, sharing experiences, bringing flowers, and praying, were some of the memory activities.
Decoration Day was how General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, recognized this holiday initially. The day designed for the holiday was May 30, 1868. According to the U.S Department of Veterans Affair, “Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers.”
The nation observed the holiday on May 30 for several years. However, Congress required Memorial Day to be on the last Monday in May to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The petition was in 1968, but it wasn’t until 1971 that it went into effect. On the same date, Memorial Day was declared a federal holiday.
Although it is unclear where this tradition originated, several communities pronounced themselves as the home of Memorial Day. By 1966, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. This holiday offers events for the whole community, the closing of some businesses in observance of the day, and the commemoration of the soldiers decorating the graves with flowers and flags.
The United States history has passed through a series of wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each War cost the lives of military service members. Over time, this date began to commemorate the fallen soldiers of all the wars they faced. In this way, the American people designated a particular date to remember, observe, and honor these ultimate sacrifices.
Here are some activities and traditions to do for Memorial Day:
- Place American flags on each gravesite at national cemeteries.
- Attend a parade.
- Raise the American flag.
- Honor the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 p.m. Local Time.
- Visit a battlefield.
- Hold a family gathering.
This holiday remembers and memorializes men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for the love and service of their nation. Memorial Day is a dedication and a way to show respect to all those who died on the battlefield.
Bladen County, Bladenboro, and Dublin offices will be closed in observance of Memorial Day. Bladen County Solid Waste announced their Memorial Day Schedule as well. According to Brandon Smith, all convenience sites will be operating on their regular schedule, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. However, the Transfer Station will be closed in observance of the holiday. Normal operations shall resume on Tuesday, June 1.
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