By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Throughout time, placing flowers and other objects of meaning at the graves of fallen warriors has been practiced by people around the globe. In the United States, we recognize our fallen warriors on the last Monday in May.
Memorial Day, first called Decoration Day was originally a day to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers from the Civil War. Citizens were called on to bring flowers and flags to honor the soldiers.
The Civil War (1861-1865) ravished nearly every American family with death and destruction. Brothers had fought against brothers, fathers and sons fought on opposing sides. Loss of life is estimated at between 620,000-750,000. Soldiers who lived through the war returned to their homes bearing with them the injuries and scars – physical and emotional — of a horrific war.
Some reports tell the story of newly freed South Carolinians celebrating the first Memorial Day on May 1, 1865, three weeks after the Confederate surrender. Deceased Union soldiers who had been held captive in a prisoner camp near the Citadel in Charleston had been dumped into a mass grave.
The dead soldiers were given a proper burial by the freed South Carolinians and others. Legend says 1,000 people attended the burial. Hymns were sung and flowers were passed out.
Other reports tell of cities in the New England area honoring fallen soldiers of the Civil War by decorating the graves with flowers and flags. Midwestern cities also laid claim to being the first to celebrate Decoration Day.
Southern women had been placing flowers on the graves of fallen Confederate soldiers even as the war raged on. The first year after the war ended, formal days honoring the fallen began popping up across the nation.
It was declared that May 30 would be the official Decoration Day. Some legends say it was because there had been no significant battle on May 30. Other reports say it was selected because flowers would be blooming in all regions of the United States.
Though the United States had previous wars with fallen soldiers, only those of the Civil War were honored until World War I. The nation once again witnessed the loss of many lives and the return of scarred and wounded soldiers. Thus, the recognition that all who lost their lives in military service should be honored.
Waterloo, NY was named the official city of origination for Memorial Day by President Lyndon B Johnson. In 1971, the holiday was officially moved to the last Monday in May.
There’s a United States flag flying over my house. My respect for the military and their sacrifices has been engrained in me since I was a child. How could it not have been? My father who had been in the Air Force, kept my siblings and I on our toes regarding patriotism and respect for the military.
My brother served our nation as a Marine. The last time I visited my great Uncle, he spoke of his experiences in Europe during World War II. My cousin made it home from Vietnam in 1970.
Thankfully, my son recently returned to the United States from his second deployment as a Marine. He is alive and healthy (Though I haven’t seen him, I have spoken with him). So far, I have been blessed, my loved ones have served our country without making the sacrifice of their lives.
It has been over a year since everyone in our nation was asked to stay home for our own safety and the good of all in a battle against COVID-19. Nurses, doctors, paramedics, and all other medical personnel became our frontline heroes. They rushed in to save the lives of Americans, and some of them lost their own lives to COVID-19.
While it seemed life couldn’t get any worse as we hid in our homes from the invisible enemy and scientists raced to find a vaccine for COVID-19, things did get worse. Civil unrest — with the loss of lives to violence — erupted in all corners of the United States.
Political turmoil, shootings, bombings, threats, riots, burning buildings, death and destruction were a daily ritual in 2020. The violence continued into 2021 as we sat in shock watching the travesty of events unfold at the Capitol on January 6.
Americans died in the past year while risking their lives for others on American soil. They weren’t serving in a military conflict, yet they died as heroes of our nation. We will never know the names of those who fell and the lives they lived.
Congress passed a resolution in 2000 asking Americans to pause at 3:00pm on Memorial Day and honor our lost warriors.
Perhaps we should consider adding the lost heroes of the past year to our list of honorees this Memorial Day? They didn’t wear an Armed Forces uniform, yet like those in the Armed Forces, they gave their all to protect the lives and liberty of Americans.
3 comments
Beautiful tribute, Ruth!
Simply disgraceful and ignorant to attempt to equate Wuhan virus with mortal combat, and, thereby, further diminish the heroism of America’s fallen military. The author and the Post executives ought to be ashamed using Memorial Day to push some agenda totally unrelated to honoring those who gave the last full measure defending America.
Mr. Drysdale,
While you are perfectly within your right to express your opinion, The Post Newspaper proudly stands by this beautiful tribute to the frontline workers who helped — many of them with their lives — to fight an invisible enemy that invaded this country last year. Personally, I lost three friends to the illness and was fortunate that frontline workers were able to keep my sister alive and healthy to be able to see her youngest son graduate high school this Saturday.
Thank You,
Brandon C. Williams
Editor, The Post Newspaper