'Memorial Day is a day of remembrance
for those who have fallen during service to our country!.
As we commemorate the soldiers we have lost, as well as wounded soldiers,
bereaved families, orphans and widows, let's not forget the meaning
and traditions behind this sacred holiday.
~*`A MEMORIAL DAY WORTH CELEBRATING`*~
Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day,
as its purpose was to visit cemeteries
and place flowers on the graves of soldiers
who had died in the Civil War. In 1882,
people started calling it "Memorial Day,"
and by the time World Wars I and II had ended,
it had evolved into a day to honor all fallen military
men and women, no matter what war they fought in.
Early Observances of Memorial Day
The Civil War claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history,
requiring the establishment of the country's first national cemeteries.
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.
It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated;
numerous different communities may have independently initiated
the memorial gatherings. Nevertheless, in 1966 the federal government
declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day.
Waterloo-which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866-was chosen
because it hosted an annual,
community-wide event, during which businesses closed and residents
decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags..
"For too many Americans, Memorial Day has become just another day off,"
said Andy Rooney.
How did he want the holiday celebrated? By putting an end to war.
"That would be a Memorial Day worth celebrating," he said.
In the video above, Rooney, a veteran of World War II, remembers
his fallen friends and takes issue with a common colloquialism.
"We use the phrase 'gave their lives,'
but they didn't give their lives.
Their lives were taken from them," said Rooney.
This segment was originally broadcast on May 29, 2005.
...SOURCE:...CBS NEWS
~ ~ ~
Dedicated to Our PP Veterans:
Terry (alwaysawarrior)
George (wordrider's world)
and all PP Veterans...
Thank you for your service to our country
YOU ARE ALL GREATLY APPRECIATED....
GOD'S BLESSINGS TO ALL OF YOU,
YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS!
