Memorial Day 2023 A Celebration!

A MEMORIAL DAY 2023 CELEBRATION FOR THOSE LOST IN BATTLES NEAR AND FAR OVER MANY DECADES!

For many Americans, Memorial Day symbolizes the unofficial start of summer, but what is the holiday for exactly? Sometimes we confuse Memorial Day with Veteran’s Day. Veterans Day is observed annually on Nov. 11. And while Veterans Day honors all individuals who have served in the U.S. military, Memorial Day, marked by parades and solemn ceremonies all over the country, and observed on the last Monday of May, is an opportunity to honor military personnel who DIED while serving in the U.S. military.

Originally known as Decoration Day, it began during the American Civil War when citizens placed flowers on the graves of those who had been killed in battle. After World War I, it came to be observed in honor of those who had died in all U.S. wars, and its name changed to Memorial Day.

We are FREE because of the expense in precious blood by so many who have gone before us and by those who continue to die in service to our country! We are FREE because you answered the call to protect American democracy and to uphold the constitution!

I would be remiss if I did not remind us of this beautiful quote from President Barack Obama, because he truly understood the feeling and emotions of remembrance:

“Today is Memorial Day, when we recall all those who gave everything in the darkness of war so we could stand here in the glory of spring. At its core, the nobility and the majesty of Memorial Day can be found in the story of ordinary Americans who become extraordinary for the most simple of reasons: They loved their country so deeply, so profoundly, that they were willing to give their lives to keep it safe and free. Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay. But we can honor their sacrifice, and we must.”

“For it is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.” ~~ Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, USMC