Memorial Day on Shelter Island

Memorial Day on Shelter Island Honoring the Fallen Heroes

Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May, honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. Unofficially, it also marks the beginning of summer.

I walked last year through the garden at the Legion Hall and through two cemeteries and was moved by the number of Shelter Island soldiers who had given their lives for our country. A Long Island political candidate has posted a cheery photo of himself at a beach saying “Happy Memorial Day!” – which put into perspective how even the most dialed in civil servants might not be historically enlightened.

Memorial Day is a solemn holiday that commemorates the officers who lost their lives while performing their military duties. Initially, it was meant for those who died in the Civil War. However, today, it recognizes every officer who died while serving the country’s interests. The goal of Memorial Day is to remember the veterans who gave us freedom by sacrificing their lives for the country. It allows Americans to reflect, support, and grieve with the families who have lost their loved ones during the war.

The Civil War claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history, necessitating the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. By the late 1860s, Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers. In an address, Congressman James Garfield stated:

“I am oppressed with a sense of the impropriety of uttering words on this occasion. If silence is ever golden, it must be here beside the graves of fifteen thousand men, whose lives were more significant than speech and whose death was a poem, the music of which can never be sung.”

Garfield delivered this emotional speech at Arlington in 1868 during a Decoration Day, marking the beginning of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. Arlington National Cemetery then became the official ground for observing the day.

Did You Know?

Each year on Memorial Day, a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time.

The exact origins of Memorial Day are unclear, with numerous communities possibly initiating their own memorial gatherings independently. However, in 1966, the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Waterloo, which first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866, was chosen because it hosted an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.

General John Logan declared the event should be honored on May 30, a neutral day for both participants of the Civil War to honor their heroes. On May 20, 1868, about 5,000 participants at the National Decoration Day decorated nearly 20,000 graves of fallen soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. Over time, the event changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, establishing it as a federal holiday, which took full effect in 1971.

The Significance of Memorial Day

The Civil War claimed about 620,000 lives within four years. These were brave officers who sacrificed their lives for our country’s freedom. As a country, the best we can do is to immortalize them, and Memorial Day does just that. The holiday allows us to honor the memories of these selfless officers who died in the country’s service, share their stories and sacrifices with our youth, and instill the spirit of patriotism in the younger generation.

Memorial Day also serves as a special day for sharing the bereaved families’ pain, grief, and sorrow, reminding them that their loved ones are not forgotten and that their contributions toward America’s freedom are highly appreciated.

Is It Appropriate to Say “Happy Memorial Day”?

This expression has divided opinions among Americans. Some believe that labeling a day of loss, grief, horror, and mourning as “happy” is insensitive to those who lost loved ones and diminishes the true meaning of the holiday. Others, however, feel that saying “Happy Memorial Day” is a passionate way of showing gratitude for the freedom America enjoys.

The Difference Between Veterans Day and Memorial Day

Veterans Day and Memorial Day both honor American military officers, but they serve different purposes. Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May, honors officers who died serving the country. Veterans Day, marked on November 11, honors all military officers—whether during wartime or peacetime—both living and dead.

How to Honor Memorial Day

To pay heartfelt tribute to the officers who sacrificed their lives for the nation, Americans can:

• March in a parade
• Wear a red poppy, a unique flower
• Watch the National Memorial Day Concert
• Place flags or flowers on graves of those who served in wars
• Fly the country’s flag at half-mast until noon
• Visit monuments dedicated to soldiers, sailors, and mariners
• Take part in the Natiional Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time

As a federal holiday, Memorial Day is marked with political presence, where the sitting president or vice president gives a speech in memory of the lost souls and lays a wreath on a grave at Arlington National Cemetery.

Interesting Facts About Memorial Day

• Initially called Decoration Day
• General John Logan picked May 30 because flowers are in bloom
• The U.S. Congress declared Memorial Day a holiday in 1971
• Waterloo, New York, is the official birthplace of Memorial Day
• The official observance date is the last Monday in May
• Citizens mark the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.
• General John Logan might have taken inspiration from a practice in the South
• Memorial Day differs from Veterans Day
• Wreaths, flags, and flowers are used to decorate the graves
• A poem about World War I inspired the wearing of the red poppy