Holiday weekend -- mattresses are on sale!

[Burning Petard]

This is 'Memorial Day' weekend officially in the USofA. It has become a time for big bargains in mattress sales.

It has a more important meaning. It's history has roots in the American Civil War. Before it was an official federal holiday, it was known as 'decoration day' at time to go to the family plot,clean the graves, and remember particularly the many who were lost in that war. But everything grows, evolves or fades to an end. Currently it has an official definition:

What is Memorial Day?

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in America wherein fallen soldiers are honored for their service and mourned for making the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Please read that carefully This weekend, DO NOT thank me for my service. I am still living. And don't buy a new mattress.

snailgate.

[BoSoxGal]

In all my travels in this life, it was my time in rural Montana living on and adjacent to Indian reservations that I saw Memorial Day most keenly observed. Native Americans honor their dead much more religiously than other cultures, from my observations. The reservation cemeteries are always festooned with decorations and flowers, but even more so on Memorial Day. I think it might have something to do with the very low life expectancy of natives comparative to other ethnic groups in America - many loved ones are lost far too soon and few live to a ripe old age.

I remain friends with several natives I met during those years and frequently see Facebook posts honoring dead relatives, regularly throughout the year. I also see the same from my Mexican American friends on Facebook.


I don’t mean any disrespect and I’m sure that my white friends miss their dead just as much, but growing up WASP in New England Memorial Day was a holiday weekend for cookouts and the beach - never once did I visit a cemetery with my family and I don’t recall that being a tradition for any of my friends’ families either.

[Big RR]

BSG--I think the reason for that is that moist families are no longer in the area where they grew up--children move away and follow jobs and other opportunities. Add that to the fact that many cemeteries is cities are not in the best areas (I know the area where our grandparents are buried in Brooklyn is not a place that's great to visit--you can go there, but it is recommended to go in groups. I woudl venture to guess that the native aericans honoring their cemeteries have been in the area for generations, and some choose remain there. I have seen the same with many of my wife's relatives in Puerto Rico, where they go every year to clean the graves of those who have gone before (on the dia de muertos, day of the dead, although it is not a celebration like in Mexico)--but younger people are also moving away to follow opportunities and this is ending. For the rest of us, there is perpetual care to be sure the graves will be reasonable tended.

The second thing I think i happening is that people are placing far less importance on the body and what happens to it; indeed, I read recently that cremation is the [preferred treatment of bodies in the US (something over 50%)--scattering of ashes is quite popular at well, leaving no final resting place.

BP--most of our holidays originally honored the d sacrifice of those who came before, from patriotic holidays (Memorial Days, July 4, the presidential olidays (Washington's and Lincoln's birthday--President's day) to Thanksgiving) to religious holidays (Christmas (being the start of a doomed messiah who would be crucified to New Year (originally celebrating jesus' bris, something that can make most men wince to Easter). And, as time goes on, thsoe original meanings have far less personal meaning to most-- indeed, nearly all families had a loss in the civil war (either in the immediate or close extended families)--making Memorial Days very personal, while few of us know people lost in recent wars, making it far less poignant and personal. And since fewer people are religious, and christianity is not the only religion, the religious holidays have lost their meanings for many as well. I am not saying this is good, but I do think it is inevitable

[MajGenl.Meade]

I think the reason for that is that moist families are no longer in the area where they grew up

Why did you pick on these people, huh?

Decoration (Memorial) Day originally honored only the Civil War dead. I guess for the seemingly obvious reason that the USA was not involved in another major conflict until oh . . . when was it . . . there was a 14-18 war . . . oh yes, 1917. Observed both North and South, one group made sure to celebrate theirs on a different day to the others (guess which). Given that the population of the USA in 1861-65 was roughly 10% of our recent times, the equivalent impact on society today would be the loss of some 7.3 to 7.5 million soldiers. Big RR is correct:

nearly all families had a loss in the civil war (either in the immediate or close extended families)

. In the late 1860s, if you knew 40 people, there was a good chance you knew of a dead soldier.

Americans were to the fore in creating a day of remembrance for dead servicemen, the first semi-official observance of which was ordered by General John Logan, commander of the veteran Grand Army of the Republic. The government didn't make it official until 1971 (altho the law was passed in 1968) and moved it from May 30 to a Monday. Logan was from the Little Egypt area of Illinois - there's a tiny museum in his honor in Murphysboro IL. It's obviously a good museum because they have my book on the General Lyon disaster for sale. (They have it for sale permanently because no-one ever buys it).

Then of course, being as Americans already had a Memorial Day, the day of Remembrance for the Dead of the Great War (November 11) was turned into a celebration of thanks for all who served in military uniform. Meanwhile in Britain, Canada and France Nov 11 now memorializes the fallen dead of all their wars, WW1 and after.

The Brits had Mafeking Day for a long time - but that wasn't about dead people but the lifting of a siege. British troops still celebrate Waterloo Day on June 18th but that's a victory (along with death of course). ANZAC day is for fallen Australian and New Zealand troops held on April 25 the anniversary of Gallipoli landings. Holland's version is May 4/5 Remembrance and Liberation Day respectively - which honors military and civilian deaths in various wars and peacekeeping missions.

[Big RR]

Meade--as I recall, when I was in grammar school November 11 was always called Armistice Day, celebrating the end or WW1 (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month...); I am not certain when it became Veterans Day, but in the early 70s Veterans Day became the last Monday in October--it went back to Nov 11 before 1980, although I think it is still called Veterans Day.

[Sue U]

In case you didn't see this somewhere else:

Flags In, Flags Out
A Memorial Day Weekend tradition.

CHARLOTTE CLYMER
MAY 26, 2024

For several years, as a young soldier, I took part in a special tradition for Memorial Day Weekend.

At the time, I was in the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), based in Washington, D.C. When our unit wasn’t doing tactical training, we were carrying out military funerals. Whenever you see photos or video of soldiers carrying flag-draped caskets in Arlington National Cemetery, that was my unit.

Every Thursday before Memorial Day Weekend, our company, which was the only one living on Ft. McNair in southwest D.C., would get up at 5:30am, get dressed in our duty uniform, and load up on buses with our empty rucksacks.

Upon arriving at Arlington, we’d stand in line waiting to fill our rucksacks with hundreds of standard miniature American flags, all rolled up in a bundle and bound together with rubber bands.

And then, for the rest of the day, until sundown, we’d walk along the sea of white headstones, laid out neatly as far as the eye can see, dress right dress, placing an American flag approximately a foot’s length in front of each one.

This tradition is called “Flags In,” and it’s, by far, my favorite memory during those years in uniform.

We had help. It wasn’t just The Old Guard. There were other units in the area who would pitch in. There were some civilian volunteers, too. Between all of us, working throughout the day, we’d get the job done, and by sunset, we’d be able to look upon the vast expanse of the Cemetery, seemingly infinite rows of American flags stretching into the horizon.

It was important to keep a good pace, of course. There are about 400,000 graves in Arlington for veterans and eligible family members, so you couldn’t take your time, but I’d try my best to read each name, at least, while placing a flag. It was my small way of honoring them.

There was one year I remember placing a flag and looking up at the headstone to read “Medgar W. Evers, Mississippi” and standing there for several moments in shock. I still get chills thinking about it. Who was I as some random, unproven 19 year-old private to have the honor of placing a flag on this hero’s grave?

But that’s Arlington. Buried alongside each other are privates and generals, senators and the formerly enslaved, retired soldiers who earned the right long before their final breaths many decades after their service and teenagers who earned the right before they were ever permitted to legally drink, all bound together in the same soil, under the same headstones, forever in formation and at peace.

There are some 639 acres of land covering the ANC divided into 70 sections. Every Memorial Day, I try to make it out to Section 60, where friends and people I admire are buried. That’s the section dedicated to those who died in the Global War on Terrorism.

There you’ll find my friend Joseph Hernandez, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2009. He became the first enlisted soldier to be buried in Arlington with full military honors under a then-recently-introduced regulation that accorded it to all service members killed-in-action. Prior to that, only officers were eligible for full honors.

Joe was the guy in my unit who always had a kind word for everyone. When I was a brand new private, he would check-in with me to see how things were going, always encouraging, always motivating, always with a smile and a joke to share. Before I knew anyone else in D.C., Joe was there to make me feel welcome.

I wish every American could visit Arlington at least once. I wish they could walk around on Memorial Day and pay their respects and see the friends and family who have made the trip just to sit around and share stories with each other.

Every year, especially in Section 60, I can always expect to see a group of friends who have brought chairs and sit around in front of their buddy’s grave, trading tales and remembering better times. I can expect to see widows and widowers bring flowers, holding their grown kids’ hands and reminding them why the ground they’re standing on is so special.

And I can expect to see more flags in one place than I’ll ever see anywhere else in my life, always placed a foot in front of each grave, always symbolizing so many things that I worry are increasingly becoming lost.

Maybe that worry is good. Maybe it’s necessary. If there isn’t concern over a lack of remembrance and respect, does complacency replace it? I think so. I think we need that constant reminder.

The Tuesday after Memorial Day, we’d get up again at 5:30am and load up on buses and make the trip back out to Arlington with our empty rucksacks for “Flags Out,” and we’d spend the entire day walking back along each grave and gently taking out each flag and bounding them together with rubber bands and by sunset, the whole Cemetery would be removed of flags.

We might whisper to each grave that we’d be back soon to remember them again.

And we’d mean it.

Source: https://charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/ ... -flags-out

[MajGenl.Meade]

Thanks, Sue

[Burning Petard]

The federal military cemetery in New Castle County Delaware, has a similar process. I am ignorant of any active duty military units participating, but I am ignorant. Many civilian groups show up. If you want to participate, you need to get there early. Parking is limited and the cars will line the feeder roads for more than a mile I'm many directions. There is free coffee and donuts. The flags are provided by local VFW and American Legion posts. I know my Post brought 1200 flags. It is all completed in less than an hour. The next morning, my American Legion post goes to other cemeteries in Newark and repeats the process. This year, we put a flag for the fist time on the grave of a black man who served in the American Revolution in a unit from Pennsylvania. He was buried with several generations of his family in Newark, Delaware. His military record and final resting place was only recently established by local historians.

snailgate.