POST 1072
This essay was originally posted on Memorial Day, 2012, with wars raging in Iraq and Afghanistan and is offered today (with some updating) as a reminder of what this holiday – this holy day – is about.
Our War Dead
It was originally called Decoration Day, a formal day of remembrance of the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. The refreshing of their graves with flowers and flags was the order of the day and it was later extended to all Civil War dead. It became known as Memorial Day in 1967 and was declared to be in honor of our dead from all of our wars. That federal re-naming packaged all of the various honoring ceremonies for our war dead and all the individual traditions practiced around the country into a neater package, something that apparently was important in 1967. In addition, the date of remembrance was shifted from May 30 to the last Monday in May so that there would be a 3-day weekend.
We no longer conscript our young into military service and instead rely upon a voluntary corps of warriors, roughly 0.4% of Americans doing the frightful tasks for the rest of us. Military service and its risks seem remote to most.
Then we see a soldier in desert fatigues walking through the airport, his boots the color of desert sand, his heavy camouflage backpack hung from his shoulders, and we know he’s either on his way to or from trouble and war becomes real to us. It’s already quite real to that GI in his desert fatigues.
Study this picture and you’ll understand the meaning of Memorial Day. Source unknown
Memorial Day is not for that soldier. It is for those who have died doing their duty to protect and defend our country. What is poignant is that the soldier in the airport might be one of those whom we remember next year.
Memorial Day is intended to be a somber event. It is not about parades with circus clowns to entertain us or political clowns to promote themselves. It is about the renewal of our individual and collective memory and the honoring of those who can no longer march in our parades. We do this, lest we forget them. And it is to honor those who loved them, to understand their pain, even for just a few sacred moments.
Go To Your Local Memorial Day Ceremonies Today
Remember and honor our fallen ones and say “Thank you.” Because they remembered: Duty, Honor, Country.
Finally, watch this short video from Adam Kinzinger. I know you’ll understand his message. And recite Longfellow’s poem aloud to feel the sober meaning of this day.
Decoration Day
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, pub. 1882
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Be Clear: They Aren’t Statistics. They’re Our People.
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Today is a good day to be the light
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Copyright 2025 by Jack Altschuler
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2 Responses to Memorial Day
Edward Kant May 26, 2025
Thank you, Jack for today’s column. Too often we forget the sacrifices that so relatively few gave for the many – many of whom have no clue. It seems this is especially true in Washington.
I am waiting for your take on tRump’s deranged speech at West Point last week. I am sure you have some interesting thoughts on it.
Jim Altschuler May 26, 2025
Remembering those that I knew who died participating in the folly of war, mostly in Viet Nam. No disparagement for those who died fighting the myriads of earlier wars and the list of wars since then. Those men and women are every bit as important to remember;
But the war In Viet Nam was the war of my youth. The one from which I knew a number of the fallen as well as many with life-altering damages, physical and mental (those wounded should definitely be remembered and honored, too).
But what was it that they gave their lives for? Was it solely for our wealthiest citizens? Was it for those who wanted to ignore our Constitution and our laws? Was it for those who wanted to turn the government of our democratic republic into a Fascist autocracy? Was it so that more wars could be fought, more of our relatives and friends to be torn apart, many to die? Perhaps I’m wrong but I don’t think so.
All of them, dead and critically wounded, deserve our respect and reverence. They deserve our time and remembrance, to be remembered every day but at least on this day. God bless them all.