Memorial Day is an American Federal holiday which many have adopted as the unofficial start of summer. Memorial Day has a much more important meaning as it represents a day of honoring the men and women that died while serving in the United States Military. Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00pm local time. Today millions of Americans participate in parades which include military personnel and visit the graves and attend memorials honoring those who have perished while serving at wartime.
Memorial Day became an official Federal holiday in 1971 and before that it was known as Decoration Day. On May 5th, 1868 General John A. Logan, a leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans called for Decoration Day to honor those that died during war. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” General Logan proclaimed.
While you enjoy your long weekend and holiday events, please take time to reflect on the purpose of Memorial Day and give thanks for those that lost their lives while serving their country.
Everyone at Premier Health Associates would like to acknowledge the millions of people that lost their life, and thank every family member and friend of the soldier for their sacrifice as well.
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” —Joseph Campbell
“You silent tents of green, We deck with fragrant flowers; Yours has the suffering been, The memory shall be ours” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” —General George S. Patton Jr.
And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me” — Country singer Lee Greenwood
And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb, and beauty weeps the brave.” —Joseph Rodman Drake