Our Salute To Fallen Veterans And The History Of Memorial Day

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The ceremonies centered around the mourning-draped veranda of the Arlington mansion, once the home of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Various Washington officials, including Gen. and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, presided over the ceremonies. After speeches, children from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphan Home and members of the GAR made their way through the cemetery, strewing flowers on both Union and Confederate graves, reciting prayers and singing hymns.

Please remember that Memorial Day is not about being off work or picnics. It is a day to remember those who died serving our country.  So, in honor of them, keep these things in mind.

The Silent March

They do not march in parades today,
Nor stand where flags in sunlight sway.
Their names are etched in granite stone,
Their stories whispered, not well known.

They gave their youth, their breath, their all,
To heed a duty’s hallowed call.
From Flanders fields to desert sand,
They served with heart, with soul, with hand.

No drumroll sounds, no bugle cries,
But in our hearts their valor lies.
Each freedom we so freely claim
Is signed and sealed with their brave name.

So, on this day, we bow our head,
And honor all the nation’s dead.
Not just with wreath or fleeting cheer,
But with the silence they held dear.

For liberty is not by chance,
It’s earned in fields where soldiers dance
A final waltz with fate and flame—
And never come back home the same.

We live because of what they gave—
So plant the flag and tend the grave.
Remember them, and humbly say:
We owe it all this Memorial Day.

A listener sent me this very moving video. I would encourage you to spend a few minutes watching, it really brings it into perspective.  It is called Mansions of the Lord.

And finally, we offer this prayer:

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the VETERAN, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag,
It is the VETERAN, who serves under the Flag. 

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.   God Bless them all.