Camille Ortega ‘21
Memorial Day is an American holiday celebrated to honor all men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Individuals show their appreciation and thanks through visiting cemeteries as well as placing flowers on the graves of those who have lost their life. The first official Memorial Day was on May. 30 of 1868 and has since then remained a day of remembrance in America.
On this day, some follow the tradition in wearing red poppies which symbolize remembrance. In war-torn battlefields, the red field poppy was one of the first plants to grow. According to maritime-executive.com the practice of wearing of poppies was inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields, written in 1915 by Canadian soldier John McCrae.
A former military soldier who is now the computer teacher at Dunellen High School talked about how easy it is for some to overlook the sacrifices made by these men. He believes that while the death from the war itself is most common there are many other factors involved.
James Santiago said, “Yes, people understand that people die in the war so on and so forth but there are hundreds of soldiers that die in training and accidents every year. I think it comes to about five hundred soldiers die a year just on doing normal everyday stuff to keep everybody safe. Just being on patrol, flying to that location and training for that next thing. So everyone just thinks about the war dead, but military soldiers are dying every day. Twenty-two soldiers commit suicide every day so its quite a toll that a soldier takes.”
The U.S Congress established that it be celebrated on the last Monday of May. Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 pm local time. 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.
Cities and towns across the United States host Memorial Day parades each year, often incorporating military speakers and members of veterans’ organizations. Some of the largest parades take place in Chicago , New York and Washington, D.C.
Actions such as pausing to think about the meaning of the day can go a long way on this day of remembrance. Others may as well wear a specific memorial day button from the first of May until the day itself as a way of participating in this holiday.
While Memorial Day may mean cookouts, barbecues, parades and a day off from work many recognize the difficult job those who have served and continue to serve have. Over 620,000 Americans died in the Civil War making it the deadliest war in American history. Americans have now celebrated Memorial Day for decades and will continue to show their appreciation and thanks.