What do you know about Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country’s armed forces. The holiday is observed every year on the last Monday of May.   It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon.  It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.  The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country. At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol.  Music is performed, and respect is paid to the men and women who gave their lives for their country.

For many Americans, the central event is attending one of the thousands of parades held on Memorial Day in large and small cities all over the country. Most of these feature marching bands and an overall military theme with the National Guard and other servicemen participating along with veterans and military vehicles from various wars.

One of the longest-standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, an auto race which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911.  It runs on the Sunday preceding the Memorial Day holiday. 

In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, asking people to stop and remember at 3:00 P.M.

How do we honor the 1.8 million that gave their life for America since 1775?  How do we thank them for their sacrifice?   Memorial Day is one way and one day to remember

Like many, I am a product of a horrific, tragic war - World War II.  

At the end of the war, my mom was a young Austrian girl living just outside of Salzburg under the Untersberg Mountain.  The American liberators occupied the area and in some instances they did not have places to live.  So they paid the Austrians so they could live temporarily in their homes. It was a good deal for both sides.  Four Americans moved into my mother’s home!

You have probably already guessed that my mom fell in love with one of them (even though her parents had sternly warned her and her sister to stay away from the soldiers.)  After the war, instead of going home, my father stayed in Austria and joined the United Nations Rehabilitation Organization.  

He married my mom. Then, I was born.  When his stay was over, the three of us came to live in the United States.

This is a very brief summary of a much more detailed, involved and to me fascinating story.  Would I be here if not for that war – NO.   So I like to think that maybe something good came out of it all.  

I also know that as a product of such evil and devastation, I have a duty and hopefully desire to better the lives of others.

Thank you to all the military Americans who have gone into foreign countries and fought for causes that are much bigger than themselves. 

I would like to thank all of our U.S. servicemen for all the sacrifices they have bestowed on us.

The Untersberg