WESTERN KY 5/28/12 – Today, May the 28th, we come together as a nation to remember the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Memorial Day is observed every year in the United States on the last Monday of May. Memorial Day was originally referred to as “Decoration Day” and originated after the American Civil War to honor soldiers who had fallen in battle.

Over two dozen cities and towns reportedly lay claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. Organized women’s groups in the South were decorating Confederate graves all across the southern states before the actual end of the Civil War.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed in 1868 on May 5th by the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, General John Logan. The federal holiday was first observed that year on May 30th, when flowers were used by 5,000 participants to adorn over 20,000 graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. Eventually, Memorial Day was extended to pay tribute to all Americans who had died in all wars.

Traditionally, people visit cemeteries and memorials to remember the fallen. American flags are often placed over each grave in national cemeteries and the American flag is lowered to the half-staff position until noon. The half-staff position recognizes over one million Americans who have given their lives to protect our country. At noon the flag is then raised back to full-staff for the remainder of the day. This signifies that their memory is recognized by those still living who refuse to let their sacrifice go unnoticed. Those who remain will continue to fight for America’s freedom.

Let us not forget the true meaning of Memorial Day today as we get wrapped up in the day’s festivities. Continue to commemorate the fallen every day by honoring those who fought for our freedom and still live.

There are over 300,000 veterans living in the state of Kentucky alone, and many of these veterans are in assisted living facilities. Visit your family members and loved ones and remember, it is time for us to serve those who spent so many years of their lives serving us.

Jessica Dockrey
SurfKY News

Partial information obtained from history.com, usmemorialday.org and va.gov

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