| In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between | | | | contributed greatly to the general public's |
| the crosses, row on row That mark our place; | | | | nonchalant observance of Memorial Day." |
| and in the sky The larks, still bravely | | | | |
| singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns | | | | Since the end of World War 1, due to the poem |
| below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We | | | | at the top of this article "In Flanders |
| lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and | | | | Fields", Memorial Day has also become known |
| were loved, and now we lie In Flanders | | | | as Poppy Day. By 1918 the poem was well known |
| fields. | | | | throughout the allied world. Moina Michael, |
| | | | an American woman, wrote these lines in reply |
| Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from | | | | to the poem by McCrae: |
| failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to | | | | |
| hold it high. If ye break faith with us who | | | | We cherish too, the Poppy red That grows on |
| die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow | | | | fields where valor led, It seems to signal to |
| In Flanders fields. | | | | the skies That blood of heroes never dies |
| | | | |
| ~ John McCrae, 1915. | | | | She then adopted the custom of wearing a red |
| | | | poppy in memory of the sacrifices of war and |
| First I want you to read this article. Then | | | | also as a symbol of keeping the faith. |
| I want you to scroll back up and re-read the | | | | |
| poem above, softly, gently, out loud. | | | | A French women, Madam Guerin, visiting the |
| | | | United States, learned of the custom and took |
| Memorial Day began on the 5th of May 1868 by | | | | it one step further. When she returned to |
| General John Logan, national commander of the | | | | France she decided to hand make the red |
| Grand Army of the Republic, in his General | | | | poppies and sell them to raise money for the |
| Order No. 11 which said: | | | | benefit of the orphaned and destitute women |
| | | | and children in war torn areas of France. |
| "The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the | | | | This tradition spread to Canada, The United |
| purpose of strewing with flowers, or | | | | States and Australia and is still followed |
| otherwise decorating the graves of comrades | | | | today. The money collected from the sale of |
| who died in defense of their country during | | | | poppies goes to fund various veterans |
| the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie | | | | programs. |
| in almost every city, village, and hamlet | | | | |
| churchyard in the land. In this observance no | | | | In essence, Memorial Day is a day to remember |
| form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and | | | | not only the war heroes of the past and |
| comrades will in their own way arrange such | | | | present who died to give us freedom and |
| fitting services and testimonials of respect | | | | rights, but our own family members who served |
| as circumstances may permit." | | | | and passed on after serving. My own father |
| | | | served in the Korean War and Vietnam, and |
| And it was first observed on 30 May 1868, | | | | passed away in 1988 of heart disease. He was |
| when flowers were placed on the graves of | | | | a Chief Master Sgt. in the USAF, and I spend |
| Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington | | | | every memorial day thinking of him. So this |
| National Cemetery. The first state to | | | | year, in between the picnics, the racecars, |
| officially recognize the holiday was New York | | | | the ice cold beers and the traffic jams |
| in 1873. | | | | (drive safe!!!), take a moment to buy a Poppy |
| | | | from the old man at the card table in front |
| Although some Americans view this as a great | | | | of your favorite store (or buy several), and |
| 3 day weekend, and a time that local swimming | | | | take a moment to remember our heroes. Leave |
| pools open, picnics, sporting events and | | | | flowers on the graves of soldiers, fly the |
| other "fun" activities, Memorial Day has | | | | flag at half-mast, wear your poppy with |
| traditionally occurred on May 30, and some, | | | | pride, and attend your local Memorial Day |
| such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) | | | | parade or ceremony. |
| and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War | | | | |
| (SUVCW), advocate returning to this fixed | | | | Don't let the ones who suffered for our |
| date. The VFW stated in a 2002 Memorial Day | | | | freedom and our country be forgotton, and |
| Address, "Changing the date merely to create | | | | don't let their battle cries get muffled by |
| three-day weekends has undermined the very | | | | the pages of history. Remember, and be |
| meaning of the day. No doubt, this has | | | | thankful. |