Memorial Day: More than a Weekend
For most people in the US, Memorial Day means the glorious three-day weekend that kicks of the official start of summer. Backyard barbeques, baseball games, iced beverages, patio furniture sales, and the Indianapolis 500 mark the occasion for many Americans. But, what started as a day to remember American soldiers that died during the Civil War, has now evolved into a day to remember soldiers who died in war or military conflict.
Like Australia’s ANZAC day, Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day are our days to remember American soldiers who’ve lives have been lost in war. With family in active military duty, I am even more keenly aware of our current political struggles and the real families who’s lives are caught up minute by minute in global conflict. These men and women in service to the United States Military are friends, brothers, fathers, mothers and sisters separated from loved ones. But, how each of us honor the memory of our soldiers who’ve died in service might be harder to see if you are just watching us from afar. Certainly, the big race starts, the bbq charcoal sparks, and the families and friends gather. But amongst the summer fun, you’ll find the parades, the moment of silence observed at the games, the flowers and flags on tombstones, and lots of American flags at half mast.
I might not have understood the tradition when my step-dad would carefully pull out and dust off our American flag and place it at half mast during this weekend growing up. But after years of listening to family stories from both sides of the Civil War, World War I, and World War II, I began to understand. What I learned as history lessons in school, also became family ones. So for me, saluting our fallen soldiers has become a story about my grandfather, my great uncle and my great grandfather as much as it is my brother and my neighbor. Politicians and presidents have come and gone for generations, but the legacy of those who’ve served in military service lives on, not just in history books and newspapers, but in the hearts of their families and friends.
Interested in historical World War I and II sightseeing? Check out our World War I and World War Sites on Viator .
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