May means... MEMORIAL DAY!
Every year on May 30th, we take time to honor those brave men who lost their lives fighting for our country. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and was officially proclaimed on May 5th, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Decoration Day was first observed on May 30th.1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to celebrate Memorial Day was New York in 1872, followed by all of the other Northern States in 189o. The Southern States however were not as eager to recognize Memorial Day. It wasn’t until after World War I that the south joined in with the rest of the nation in celebrating Memorial Day. By this time the holiday changed from not only honoring Civil War heroes who lost their lives, but all Americans who lost their lives while fighting for their country.
For most Americans Memorial Day means summer is around the corner. While the Civil War was long ago, and World War I and World War II seems miles away: there are soldiers who have recently lost their lives-leaving loved ones behind to grieve and pick up the pieces of their lives. While it is just as important to remember war heroes of the past, we need to remember the heroes of today. The wounds of their loved ones are still fresh. These families weren’t prepared for an all out war when the events of 9//11 took place. And unlike The Vietnam War; these men and woman chose to fight for out country. They weren’t drafted into a war; they volunteered to take a stand for all American citizens.
Although my great, great, great Uncle Ulysses S. Grant didn’t die in the Civil War, I consider him a great war hero. He was appointed lieutenant general in March 1864 and was first in command of all the U.S. Armies. What made my uncle a successful commander was his administrative ability, receptiveness to innovation, versatility, and the ability to learn from his mistakes. Although he was an aggressive commander, he knew when to admit his errors and quickly correct them. The Civil War was one of the bloodiest battles in American History, which influenced the decision to honor all the brave men and boys who lost their lives during this blood bath. Boys as young as ten years old left their moms to fight in the war. Imagine sending your ten year old son to fight in Iraq. That’s a concept that many of us couldn’t even fathom.
There have been 8 other wars fought since the Civil War, including the Iraqi Freedom War which began in 2003 and is still going on today. Only one war involved Americans fighting each other, and to date- Only one war was lost: The Vietnam War. Although the Civil War is considered to be the bloodiest of all wars, it might interest you to know that over 15 million men lost their lives in World War II-making this war number one in casualties.