Observing Memorial Day — What You Can Do

“…gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime….let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude — the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.”
–General John Logan, General Order No. 11, 5 May 1868

From USMemorialday.org:

The “Memorial” in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us who are beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Often we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice. You can best honor those who died in the service of their country by…

– visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.

– visiting memorial sites or attending memorial events.

– flying the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon (and by flying the ‘POW/MIA Flag’ as well).

– participating in a “National Moment of Remembrance” at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day.

- renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.