White Bird Veterans’ Park
Some facts about Memorial Day:
- Memorial Day grew out of the grief and tragedy wrought by the Civil War. Originally Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day , a day to honor the Union and the Confederate soldiers who died during the American Civil War.
- The first Memorial Day was celebrated in 1868 by General Logan, the National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. General Logan and 5,000 participants placed flowers on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.
- As time passed, it became a day to remember all American soldiers who died while serving in the military.
- In 1967 that it was legally named Memorial Day .
- It is customary on Memorial Day to fly the flag at half staff until noon, and then raise it to the top of the staff until sunset.
- The World War I poem “In Flanders Fields,” by John McCrea, inspired the Memorial Day custom of wearing red artificial poppies. The sale of poppies supports the work of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
- Memorial Day was declared an official national holiday in 1971 and is celebrated on the last Monday of May; this year of 2017, May 29th.
- In December 2000, former US President Clinton signed ‘The National Moment of Remembrance Act.’ The law requires all Americans to observe a minute of silence at 3:00 pm ( local time ) to honor the heroes that have sacrificed their lives for our freedom.
