Remembering Memorial Day 2007

Remember and honor American heroes - Barbara Simpson - www.worldnetdaily.com

Today is Memorial Day. Do you have any idea what that means?

For starters, think about two young men whose bodies were officially identified May 23, after being killed in Iraq.

Pfc. Joseph Anzack of Torrance, Calif. was found shot to death and floating in the Euphrates River. Who knows what torment he endured before he died; he and two other soldiers were ambushed and taken prisoner May 12. His buddies are still missing.

Pvt. Oscar Sauceda of Del Rio, Texas was killed May 22, after he and his unit were hit by enemy small-arms fire. He was with the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment.

Anzack was 20 years old. Sauceda was 21.

If you think about them, will you celebrate Memorial Day differently?

For those of a certain age to remember, it wasn't always Memorial Day. It used to be called Decoration Day and was celebrated on May 30.

You might even remember the sale of red poppies on Decoration Day. They were made by disabled vets and sold to benefit vets, military widows and their children.

You might remember, but then again, maybe not.

For 103 years, Memorial Day/Decoration Day has been a single day for commemoration – a time to remember and honor those men and women who were killed defending our country.

While the tradition began during the Civil War in the South, the first day of memorial to honor war dead was officially proclaimed May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander, Grand Army of the Republic.

The first official observance was held on May 30 of that year. Flowers were placed on Civil War graves at Arlington National Cemetery.

New York was the first state to recognize the holiday in 1873 and by 1890, virtually all northern states followed suit.

As the country endured other wars and finally World War I, in which nearly 117 thousand Americans were killed, it was decided to have a national day of memorial to honor all Americans killed in all wars.

It was never a day to generically remember all dead. Memorial Day was, and is, a day for Americans to come together and honor our military dead who gave their all so we might live in freedom.

But, as in so many things, we take them for granted. We take our freedom for granted, and the solemnity of the day has almost totally been lost.

Times have changed. For most people today, Memorial Day is a holiday weekend. It's a time to get out of town – unless gas prices are too high – and have fun with family and friends.

Of course, it hasn't helped that in 1971, the National Holiday Act moved Memorial Day to the last Monday of May and made it an official federal holiday on a three day weekend.

Intentional or not, the net effect has been to diminish the meaning of the day. Along with the reality that our young people aren't taught history, their understanding of the magnitude of Memorial Day commemoration is often nil.

Because of "weekend" celebrations and traditional parades to honor the military, surviving vets and their compatriots who were killed are rarely recognized.

It used to be that every community had a parade, and, while they were fun and exciting for children, there was also the understanding that the reason for the march was to remember and honor those who died to protect our country and maintain our freedom.

Anzack and Sauceda willingly put their lives at risk for this country – for each of us – and were killed in war. They gave their lives and their futures for this country.

Their families lost loved ones and also their hopes and dreams. All they have are memories and the pain that comes with them. For the families, the two men will be forever young.

Will you remember them on Memorial Day or any day?

Every time you go to work without being shot at, go shopping without worrying about car bombs or allow your children to play in the park or at the beach without fear of land mines, you should think of, and thank, the men and women who serve in our military and honor those who were killed.

It doesn't matter whether you agree with the war, the president or Congress. What does matter is that our military personnel serve with selflessness and dedication. The very least we can do is honor them and the fallen. They've sacrificed more for us than we could ever repay. Surely that warrants a few minutes of silence on Memorial Day to remember and to say thank you.
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