Amid rumors of war, honor veterans on Memorial Day and the year round
Memorial Day, sometimes known as Decoration Day, is a time to honor those who fought in various wars down through the years and who made the ultimate sacrifice. Although they are no longer with us physically, memories of them held dear to our hearts are lasting. We owe them the respect they so deserve on this special day to honor them.
There have been wars since the world began. There will be countless other wars where American soldiers will be called upon to face death for our country, leaving them and their families to face the grim reality. As Jesus said in Matthew 24:6, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”
When the day was still called Decoration Day, mourners in 1868 gathered to honor the Civil War dead by decorating their graves with flowers. On that first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery after which 5,000 participants helped decorate the graves of more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
Today many groups of volunteers across the country spread out in our national cemeteries to honor those who fought in wars by placing tiny flags on the graves. An illustration by a cartoonist some years ago showed starting with a simple stick and adding a small paper America flag. When multiplied by many other flags, it is a significant way of showing our appreciation to those who gave their all to protect the freedom we have.
Some years ago, a reader sent a letter to ‘Dear Abby’ saying: “Lest we forget.” These three simple, but meaningful words are a reminder to always remember the sacrifices made for our freedom. The reader mentioned a Vietnam veteran who was wounded on Memorial Day in 1970, along with his entire company of comrades, some of whom were killed. The survivors continue to get in touch with one another on Memorial Day.
The patriotic organization No Greater Love supports the National Monument of Remembrance, established by Congress in 2000. It asks Americans to pause in an act of national unity for one minute at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day, wherever they are, to honor those who have died for our freedom throughout history.
By doing this we honor the fallen, and we remind ourselves of what and who this day memorializes.
We must never forget them.
Contributor Jean Tanner is a lifetime rural resident of the Bluffton area and can be reached at jstmeema@hargray.com.
This story was originally published May 15, 2017 at 7:14 AM with the headline "Amid rumors of war, honor veterans on Memorial Day and the year round."