The History of Memorial Day
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The History of Memorial Day
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Although Memorial Day is now associated with travel, barbecues, and sales, it originally had a more reverent purpose.
From AP News. Memorial Day is supposed to be about mourning the nation’s fallen service members, but it’s come to anchor the unofficial start of summer and a long weekend of discounts on anything from mattresses to lawn mowers.
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WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL PURPOSE OF MEMORIAL DAY?
It’s a day of reflection and remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. military, according to the Congressional Research Service. The holiday is observed in part by the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. for a moment of silence.
WHAT ARE THE HOLIDAY’S ORIGINS?
The holiday stems from the American Civil War, which killed more than 600,000 service members — both Union and Confederate — between 1861 and 1865.
There’s little controversy over the first national observance of what was then called Decoration Day. It occurred May 30, 1868, after an organization of Union veterans called for decorating war graves with flowers, which were in bloom. …
HOW HAS MEMORIAL DAY CHANGED?
Dennis said Memorial Day’s potency diminished somewhat with the addition of Armistice Day, which marked World War I’s end on Nov. 11, 1918. Armistice Day became a national holiday by 1938 and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
An act of Congress changed Memorial Day from every May 30th to the last Monday in May in 1971. Veterans objected: “They didn’t want to be just some random Monday that people could forget about,” Dennis said.
In 1972, Time Magazine said the holiday had become “a three-day nationwide hootenanny that seems to have lost much of its original purpose.” …
Meanwhile, Jason Redman, 48, a retired Navy SEAL who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, said he’ll be thinking of friends he’s lost. Thirty names are tattooed on his arm “for every guy that I personally knew that died.”
He wants Americans to remember the fallen — but also to enjoy themselves, knowing lives were sacrificed to forge the holiday.
How are you praying for the fallen members of our military? Share this article to encourage others to pray.
(Excerpt from AP News. Photo Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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I am remembering all those who fought in the wars in the service of freedom and preservation of Judeo-Christian values. I am thanking God for all their pastors and Sunday School teachers, all their mothers and fathers, grandparents, uncles and aunts who taught them about Jesus and gave them courage to fight these wars because they were in a godly cause. I am thanking our God for he gift of his Son, who also fought and gave his life for us. I am thanking Saint Paul, who told us the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but are powerful to bring down strongholds. I am praying, in the Name of Jesus, to see a sign from God that strongholds of evil are falling all around us, never to rise again but trampled under our feet on earth as in heaven. Praise God!
Carol,
I was born November 9th, 1941 so I was almost a month old when Pearl Harbor was attacked. I grew up in Southern Illinois and we called it “Decoration Day” because we put flowers on all of the graves – not just the military. They had a section near the entrance to the cemetery with permanent small white crosses to honor all the lost soldiers. My uncle was KIA at the Battle of the Bulge and my wife’s uncle from Pennsylvania was KIA on Saipan. He is buried in the Punchbowl.
I agree that this is a very cursor article and was surprised to see it on IFA News, especially after disingenuous “reporting” by APNews such as the fetal heartbeat fiasco several years ago:
https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938
Thanks for the clarification
There are men and women who came back from Wars who are so traumatized they committed suicide. My heart breaks for their survivors. I pray that every veteran can be reached, helped and encouraged by growing and new Ministries who are equipped to help them.
The older we grow, the more we appreciate the Cost of Freedom! My husband and I are unabashed flag waving, lovers, of our Nation. We both love our History and had Fathers who served in WWll and paid a price physically and emotionally. They came home alive carrying deep scars from their experiences and looked forward to raising families in Peace. Our Fathers taught us love of Country by their example.
ThankYou God for Patriots willing to serve others! The Gospel lived out loud!
We remember and we honor all who died in Service to this Nation, served this Nation and serve this Nation even now!
ThankYou is not enough. May the faithful God Who sees the end from the beginning Bless you and protect you throughout eternity!
Praying for all the men and women who sacrificed and served this country in all of the wars that this great nation has defended freedom loving people everywhere in this world. We will never forget you or your great sacrifice and love for God and your fellow man and this country! 💓🙏 Amen! 🙌🙏
A person follows orders to travel to places controlled by evil despots in hopes that their victims would taste Liberty, then perishes for such a task. Bringing love to a hate fest. Whatever their task, if they become another name to bear the weight of such Liberty, it must be honored and not used as a political stunt or commercial entreat.
Father, many of our fallen heroes marched under two banners, Yours and that of the United States of America. You gave Your Son for Liberty, too. Change hearts to maintain a somber and solemn attitude for the love of our nation which You established. Cause the young ones to understand that they’re walking on roads paved with blood. Remind the older how fragile Liberty is and to lead accordingly.
My birthday is May 30, 1950 and as a child I was so honored to be born on such an important day. We would have a parade and then my parents would take us to the cemetery to remember the soldiers and sailors that sacrificed for our freedoms! I have always loved America and the military that protects us. Then when the holiday was changed to the last Monday in May, I was insulted that our government officials seemed to care so little for our military dead! To correct the above story, it was southern widows of civil war dead military men that started “Decoration Day!” They didn’t want the sacrifice of their Civil War dead to be forgotten so they chose May 30 for the date to decorate the graves of their loved ones. Northern widows of Civil War dead heard about this and they together petitioned to make this a National Holiday forever! Congress was irresponsible to make this a 3 day weekend Monday holiday instead of letting it fall on the date it was originally assigned just like the 4th of July! They wanted to change July 4th to a 3 day Monday holiday but the country rightly so, rose up and protested that the 4th of July couldn’t be on any other date! Memorial day should be changed back to May 30th, the original “Decoration Day!” FATHER GOD, Thank YOU for protecting our current military all over the world from enemies both foreign and domestic! Thank YOU for the hearts of those that were and are willing to sacrifice to protect America! Bless all of the families that have had loved ones that sacrificed to serve in our military and those that gave the ultimate sacrifice for all of us in America in JESUS NAME!
Father, thank you for those who gave their lives for our country. Bless their families with comfort. May we never forget the cost of freedom!
We need to stand for all the ones that gave their all for the freedom that we have here and if
we do not. People will be deceived by those claiming to have been sent by God but are not. Pray
for the safety and well- being of those who are caught in the middle of all the conflicts (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Choose to be courageous because there will be time when staying close
to Christ means taking a stand. Stay in the word and if you do-you have the Holy Spirt with you. Conflicts and dissensions among people,groups and countries will escalate. Pray for the
peace of Israel the place that Jesus will return for His people. No worry just stop and look up.
and say a prayer for your family and the U.S.A.
LORD, comfort those who morn the loss of one who died while serving our country. Move the hearts of our citizens to respect the sacrifices of those who offered their lives to serve our country. Lord, have mercy on America as we face war within our borders from the enemy that has infiltrated our foundational institutions and the influencers of our culture. Show us what to do. In Jesus’s name we pray
We have had family members fight in every war since the beginnings of this nation for the freedoms America has. I will always honor this day and those that have fought and those that have given their lives. God Bless America