Thread by @USArmyCMH

MEMORIAL DAY HISTORY - "THESE HONORED DEAD"

Memorial Day was established as a national holiday to remember those people who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. It is currently observed every year on the last Monday of May.

#Armyhistory #MemorialDay

The observance of Memorial Day originated with the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), an organization of veterans who served in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Revenue Cutter Service during the American Civil War, as a special day to honor their fallen comrades. @TradocCG

It was first called "Decoration Day," because it began as a day set aside, separately in both the North and South, when the widows and orphans of the dead would gather at the graves of their loved ones to decorate them with flowers and other remembrances. @ArmyChiefStaff

In May 1868, Maj Gen John A. Logan, Commander of the GAR from 1868 to 1871, proclaimed, "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."

He then led the GAR's campaign to have the government proclaim "Decoration Day" as a national holiday to be celebrated annually on 30 May. Tradition holds that the date represented the best time of year for the availability of flowers and no Civil War battle was fought that date.

In 1882, Decoration Day became Memorial Day, but use of the new name did not become widely accepted until after World War II. The holiday had evolved to commemorate America's military dead in all wars.

#USArmy #HonorThem #TRADOC #MilitaryHistory @USArmy @TRADOC @SecArmy

Congress did not pass the legislation declaring Memorial Day an official national holiday until 1968 with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, when it moved George Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day, to establish three-day weekends, starting in 1971.