On this Memorial Day we remember
May 24, 2019 PLYMOUTH EAGLE.
Plymouth Michigan News
This Memorial Day we remember those who courageously gave their lives. To those who have fought and those who are fighting, we admire your courage and appreciate your sacrifices. We salute you, honor you and thank you.
Disabled American Veterans
The origins of Memorial Day, next Monday, or Decoration Day as it was first named, are both remote and mixed. In the mid-1860s, it appeared that the concept of “Decoration Day” was a way to heal a nation which remained divided after the Civil War.
One inspiration for this holiday came when Civil War veterans saw a woman and her two children placing flowers on a soldier’s grave. The veterans were so moved that they decided to do the same at other military graves. In other instances, women in the North and South, in a gesture of impartial generosity, decorated the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers. Soon in cities, villages and towns across the country, people gathered for prayer to honor the war dead and to lay flowers upon their graves.
In 1868, General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, ordered that the 30th day of May be designated for this purpose. At least 25 groups and towns claimed to have originated the idea of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers.
General James Garfield spoke at the first national observance of Memorial Day on May 30, 1868, in Arlington National Cemetery.
While this day was initially dedicated to remember those killed in the Civil War, with the passage of time Memorial Day has become an occasion to honor all those who died in service to the nation, from the Revolutionary War to the present. It was also seen as a time to rededicate ourselves to the ideals for which they gave their lives and to teach children the importance of remembrance.
In 1968, the observance of Memorial Day was moved to the last Monday in May.
Celebrations in our area this year include:
CITY OF PLYMOUTH AND PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP
Plymouth Memorial Day Parade and Veterans Ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. in downtown Plymouth and will end at the Plymouth Veterans Park with a memorial ceremony following. At the ceremony, five or six World War II veterans will each tell a 5-minute story. Each of the veterans is now in their 90s and “and sharp as a tack,” organizers said. The intent is to connect World War II history to the younger generation through personal accounts of experiences in both the European and Pacific theaters. The emcee for the program is Krista McKinley. The park is located on the Northwest corner of Main and Church Streets in the City of Plymouth
CANTON TOWNSHIP
The Canton Fire Department Honor Guard will be hosting a Memorial Day Service at 10 a.m. Monday, May 27. The event will take place at the Veteran’s Memorial Center located in Heritage Park (directly behind the Canton Administration Building), 1150 S. Canton Center Road, in Canton.
Representatives from the United States Marine Corps will be present for a ceremonial wreath posting at the 1st Battalion 24th Marine Division Memorial. A roll call will also take place for the “Fallen 22” Marines who were deployed for duty in 2006-07 to Iraq, and made the ultimate sacrifice.
The public is invited to attend this memorial service honoring the Marines and all service members who put this nation before their own lives.
CITY OF NORTHVILLE
The Memorial Day Parade hosted by the Northville VFW will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, May 27 at Northville Downs and conclude with a ceremony honoring fallen veterans at Rural Hill Cemetery.
The parade and ceremony are expected to take about an hour and the event is open to the public.
Rural Hill Cemetery is located at 215 West Seven Mile Road east of Rogers in Northville.
Plymouth Voice.
