Decoration Day

Greetings on Memorial Day, when we honor our deceased military, not to be confused with Veterans Day in November, when we honor the living. If you have trouble telling the two apart, it might help to think of Memorial Day by its earlier name, "Decoration Day." Americans in both the North and South decorated graves of Civil War soldiers, feeling fortunate if their fallen one had a grave to decorate. Many did not, or their family did now know where they lay, and hoped that a kind person somewhere faraway would lay a wreath or flower on their loved one's grave or memorial. They in turn decorated the graves of strangers. Next year, 2021, is the centennial of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, and plans are underway to commemorate this event. In the meantime, fly your flag and say a prayer for the fallen. In honor of the fallen Union soldiers in my family I have posted a photo of Gen. U.S. Grant's father, Jesse R. Grant, in the Richard Warren section and explained the family's link to the Mayflower.