This is a lovely three day weekend for many of us. We get to have hamburgers on the grill and watch the kids run through the sprinklers while we eat slices of watermelon and drink a cold beverage. But really, Memorial Day is so much more than that. It is a time to remember and commemorate those brave men and women that have lost their lives while in the military.
My father was a foot soldier in the Korean War. I don’t know if many of you even know there was a Korean War. It started June 25, 1950 and lasted until July 27, 1953. It is called The Forgotten War. I remember in grade school history we studied about WWII and then went right into Vietnam. Nothing was mentioned about Korean, but there were 4 million military and civilian casualties: 33,600 Americans, 16,000 UN allies, 415,000 South Koreans, 520,000 North Koreans and 900,000 Chinese. That is a lot of lives lost.
Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m.Eastern Time. Another tradition is to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers often place American flags on each gravesite at National Cemeteries, and many Americans also use Memorial Day to honor other people who have died.
Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (my dad is a member) take donations for poppies in the days leading up to Memorial Day; the poppy’s significance to Memorial Day is the result of the John McCrae poem “In Flanders Fields”.
In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
In addition to remembrance, Memorial Day is also considered the start of summer and is a time for picnics, barbecues, family gatherings, and sporting events. One of the longest-standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911. And the National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol. The concert is broadcast on PBS and NPR. Music is performed, and respect is paid to the men and women who gave their lives for their country.
So on this Memorial Day let us all remember those people that have given their lives in the defense of our country. Remember that many of them were young and afraid, but still did their duty. Remember their mothers and fathers; their children. And remember that We Are The United States of America. Be proud and Remember.
