Memorial Day Tribute

General Order No. 11

“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.”

Dated 5 May 1868
General John A. Logan

1n 1868, the first Decoration Day (Memorial Day) celebration was held at Arlington National Cemetery where 5,000 people decorated the graves of 20,000 Civil War Veterans (both from the Confederacy and the Union) buried therein. This celebration was inspired by services held in a few small towns across the country honoring soldiers who fell in the 3 years following the Civil war.

In recognition of the sacrifice of those fallen Civil War soldiers, communities across the country began to hold their own ceremonies. The Northern States celebrated the holiday May 30th, while the Southern states celebrated Confederate Memorial Day during January, April or June, depending on which state you lived in. Confederate Memorial Day is still celebrated in many southern states. Following WWI, Decoration Day changed from honoring only Civil War veterans to a day honoring soldiers who fell in all wars.

In 1915, Moina Michaels wrote the following short poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

She came up with the idea of wearing red poppies on Memorial Day and sold them to her friends, family and associates, donating the money to servicemen in need. She wanted to make a difference in the lives of veterans and their families. In 1922, the VFW became the first organization to sell poppies to aid disabled veterans. In 1948, the Post Office honored Moina Michaels by issuing a postage stamp in her honor.

My earliest memory of Memorial Day is of donning our poppies and cutting the flowers in our yard. My family would then go to a nearby cemetery and find the graves of veteran’s that were undecorated. We would split up the flowers between them so that every grave would be decorated. It was very important to my father (WWII US Navy Veteran) to honor his friend’s and fellow soldiers.

In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May, creating a three-day weekend. It seems that the observance of Memorial Day has been lost since that time and it has become just another holiday week-end. The graves of our veterans are neglected and left undecorated. In our busy lives, it seems a shame that we cannot take a few minutes on one day a year to honor those who died for the freedoms we now enjoy. I have to admit that I have not gone to the cemetery or taken flowers this year, but I did make arrangements for my father’s grave to be decorated. I need to remember next year, and never forget the price paid for the freedoms we all enjoy.

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Red, White and Blueberry Pie
found at: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Red--White-and-Blueberry-Pie

* 4 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate
* 8 whole fresh strawberries, halved lengthwise
* 1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust (8 inches)
* 3/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries
* 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
* 3/4 cup Domino® or C&H® Pure Cane Powdered Sugar
* 3/4 cup cold fat-free milk
* 1 package (3.3 ounces) instant white chocolate pudding mix
* 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
* 1 cup reduced-fat whipped topping

Directions:
In a microwave, melt white chocolate; stir until smooth. Dip the halved strawberries halfway in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place cut side down on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set. Spread the remaining melted chocolate over the bottom and sides of crust. Arrange sliced strawberries in crust.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gradually add milk. Beat in pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes or until thickened; spread evenly over sliced strawberries.
Place blueberries in center of pie. Arrange dipped strawberries around the edge. Pipe whipped topping between the strawberries and blueberries. Chill until serving. Yield: 8 servings.