Memorial Day 2019

Memorial Day is a day to honor those men and women who have given their lives in service to this great country, the United States of America.  It's not supposed to be about celebrating with family and friends, or about races and picnics and barbeques or eating contests.  It was created to honor and remember the people who died in the service of our country.
   It was originally called Decoration Day because family members went to graveyards and cemeteries and decorated the graves of those who died in wars and military engagements with flowers.  Yes, families would gather together in remembrance of those who gave their lives for a cause - our country - and, might, after prayers, have a potluck style supper among the graves.  It was a reminder of life and death, and service to one's country.
  Most people today confuse Memorial Day and Veteran's Day.  Veteran's Day is a celebration of anyone who has served our nation in any uniform of our Armed Services.  Memorial Day is for the memories of those who died in the service of our country.  Originally, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30, no matter which day of the week it fell upon.  In 1968, Congress decided we had too many "odd day" holidays and wanted to create more three day weekends, like the Banking Holidays in Europe, so it was decided that Memorial Day would be celebrated on the last Monday of each May.  Since 1971, that has been the law.  After the Battle of Ypres in World War I, the poem "In Flanders Field" was published and many people today still utilize the symbol of the red poppy as a remembrance of Memorial Day.
  Many members of my far-flung family have served in many wars and conflicts around the world in the past 500 years.  A lot of them have died on foreign soil, beneath the waves, and here in the United States.  The most recent loss in war that I know of was my cousin Emery Lee Nocks, who was born in Dearborn County, Indiana on 22 February 1922, and died 17 August 1942 when the submarine he was serving in was torpedoed and sunk with all hands aboard.

Emery Lee Nocks   1922-1942

The United States of America has lost large swathes of young men and women in war.  Hopefully, we will soon be able to seek peaceful agreements with other nations in the future.  (But the psychology of humankind is such that I fear it might be a hope without an accomplishment.)
 

Please remember and celebrate the lives of those fine men and women

who have given their lives for our country today.