What Memorial Day Actually Is and Why It Matters
Most people get a day off. Fewer stop to think about why. Memorial Day is not a celebration of the military. It is not Veterans Day. It is something quieter and heavier than both.
What Memorial Day Is
Memorial Day honors U.S. military members who died in combat. It was originally called Decoration Day, because people would decorate the gravesites of fallen soldiers with flowers, American flags, and other tributes. Some veterans find it dismaying when they are thanked on this day. It is a time to remember those who lost their lives and could not come home.
How It Started
Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day began with an idea from General John Logan as a way to honor the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. In 1971, Memorial Day was established as a federal holiday taking place on the last Monday in May. What started as flowers on Civil War graves became one of the most significant days on the American calendar.
Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day
People mix these up every year and it is worth getting right. While Veterans Day is a thank you to everyone who wore the uniform, Memorial Day is a somber salute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. One honors the living. The other honors the fallen. Both matter. They are not the same.
How Americans Observe It
Many Americans mark Memorial Day with an official moment of remembrance at 3 p.m. local time. During that moment, Amtrak conductors sound one long whistle in honor of those who have died in service. Traditionally, American presidents give a Memorial Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The American flag is flown at half-staff until noon. It is a powerful visual of mourning that shifts to a position of honor for the rest of the day.
Why It Matters to Us
At Lima Charlie Inc., we are a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. The people we remember today are not abstractions. They are brothers, sisters, fellow service members. This day belongs to their families most of all.
To every Gold Star family and every person who carries someone home only in memory: we see you, and we do not forget.
...We do not forget.
We Hear You Loud and Clear.
(888) 418-4773
