By Carol Fisher Linn
Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day are two separate United States holidays. Armed Forces Day is always the third Saturday in May. This year it falls on May 20th. Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May. This year it falls on May 29th.
Let’s consider Armed Forces Day coming this week. Begun in August 1949, Armed Forces Day is a day dedicated to paying tribute to men and women who currently serve or have served, in the Reserves, National Guard or in the six U.S. military branches – the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, and U.S. Coast Guard.
According to the Department of Defense, originally Armed Forces Day was a type of “educational program for civilians,” one in which there would be an increased awareness of the Armed Forces. It was designed to expand public understanding of what type of job is performed and the role of the military in civilian life. It was a day for the military to show “state-of-the-art” equipment to the civilian population they were protecting. Although it is not a federal holiday, it is a day to honor and acknowledge the members of all the Armed Forces of the United States.
In his February 27, 1950 proclamation announcing the establishment of the holiday, Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States wrote: “I invite the Governors of the States, Territories, and possessions to issue proclamations calling for the celebration of that day in such manner as to honor the Armed Forces of the United States and the millions of veterans who have returned to civilian pursuits.” President Truman asked fellow citizens to display our flag and show recognition to those carrying out their military missions by volunteering for or donating to the USO. Please go to uso.org and click on “stories” or “how we help” to get an idea of how this amazing organization works with and for our military personnel.
Many communities pay their respects to those who serve with parades, “support the Troops” motorbike rallies, air shows, etc. Families can honor their military members by having picnics or war movie marathons with them. You can honor a veteran with an invitation to lunch, an offer to help with something they are unable to do, or just a simple, and sincere “thank you for your service.”
National Military Appreciation Month began on May 1 and concludes with Memorial Day when we honor our fallen heroes. Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States honoring U.S. military personnel who died while in the United States armed forces. Until 1971, Decoration Day was observed on May 30th. It was first observed on May 30, 1868 when “Southern Woman” Mary Ann Williams encouraged people to cover the graves of all Civil War soldiers, Union and Confederate – with flowers, hence “Decoration Day. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ann_Williams)
By 1890 every Union State had adopted the holiday and the tragic losses of so many servicepersons during the World Wars turned it into a remembrance of all U.S. military who fought and died in service, in any war. By 1971 the observance was changed by Congress to the last Monday in May and renamed “Memorial Day.”
So, how do you remember those who gave all? Wear a poppy. Display your flag at half-staff until noon – then raise to full-staff, per Federal guidelines. Honor our heroes by attending your local community parade and service. It may be small; it may not be grand, yet the homage paid by the people they lived with and loved is more important to their families and to the veterans honoring them than a ticker-tape parade down Broadway in NYC. After the event is over and you have returned to your activities for the day, consider stopping what you are doing at 3pm to remember and honor those who have died in service to this nation. (The National Moment of Remembrance Act, December 2000, signed by President William Clinton.) Visit a local Veteran’s cemetery or visit your loved departed veteran, placing a flag at their headstone.
A reminder: When greeting others, “Happy Memorial Day” is not appropriate when you consider there are those who continue to mourn their deceased loved ones. Instead of saying “Happy Memorial Day,” the Code of Support Foundation offers an alternative phrase: “I wish you a meaningful Memorial Day.”