From the NFRW Armed Services Committee

Memorial Day is a time to remember our military men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while in the military service of their country. Throughout the nation, honors will be rendered by the Services at national veterans cemeteries and by American Legion Posts at local cemeteries.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and started in the years following the Civil War, which claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history and resulted in the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries.

In the late 1860s, Americans began holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. Today, many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or participating in memorial ceremonies, parades and family gatherings.  Some wear a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war—a tradition that began with a World War I poem.

What we should do:

• Remember those who courageously gave their lives.
• Remember and honor our heroes.
• Count our blessings and stand proud.