This Monday is Memorial Day. Today, most people think of Memorial Day as a day off from school and work. But do you know what Memorial Day stands for? Do you know how it began?
On May 5th, 1868, the head of a group called the Grand Army of the Republic called for Decoration Day. Three years after the end of the Civil War, this day was a time dedicated to decorating the graves of the fallen soldiers. John A. Logan, Major General, determined that May 30th would be Decoration Day. It is said that May 30th was chosen because all across the nation, flowers would be in bloom to decorate the graves. Prior to Decoration Day, local areas throughout the nation had been remembering and honoring the fallen soldiers. On April 25th, 1866, a group of women are said to have participated in one of the first ever tributes in Columbus, Mississippi, when they decorated the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers. There is often discrepancies surrounding the official location where Memorial Day was founded, although President Lyndon Johnson, along with Congress, decreed Waterloo, New York the birth place in 1966.
Prior to World War 1, Memorial Day was spent honoring the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. Once WW1 ended, the fallen soldiers of both wars were remembered on the holiday. The day is normally marked at Arlington National Cemetery where small American flags can be found at every gravesite. In December of 2000, Congress passed “The National Moment of Remembrance Act” to ensure the citizens of the United States of America never lose sight of the true meaning of the holiday. There is also a National Moment of Remembrance, which is a minute of silence taking place at 3:00pm on Memorial Day.
So amid you family gatherings and cookouts this upcoming Monday, take the time to remember the fallen soldiers of our country. When the clock hits 3:00pm, take the minute to pause and honor those that have given their lives so that we may live ours in safety and freedom.
At Packaging Strategies Incorporated, we work hard to provide every branch of our armed forces with the highest quality custom cases to transport all of their valued equipment that is essential in keeping our country safe. We are proud to serve them as they have so selflessly served us.
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