Memorial Day
is a federal holiday
in the United States for
remembering the people who
died
while serving in the country's armed forces.^[1]
The holiday,
which is observed every year on the
last Monday of May,^[2]
originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868,
when the Grand Army of the Republic,
an organization of Union veterans —
established it as a time for the nation to
decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers.^[3]
By the 20th century,
competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service.^[1] It typically marks the
start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.
Many people
visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an
American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.
Annual Decoration Days for particular cemeteries are held on a
Sunday in late spring or early summer in some rural areas of the American South, notably in the mountain areas.
In cases involving a family graveyard where remote ancestors as well as those who were deceased more recently are buried, this may take on the character of an extended family reunion to which some people travel hundreds of miles.
People gather on the designated day and put flowers on graves and renew contacts with relatives and others.
There often is a religious service and a picnic-like "dinner on the ground," the traditional term for a potluck meal in which people used to spread the dishes out on sheets or tablecloths on the grass. It is believed that this practice began before the American Civil War and thus may reflect the real origin of the "memorial day" idea.^[4]
Memorial Day is not to be confused with
Veterans Day;
Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of
all U.S. military veterans











one time when I was driving
I saw a grave yard
I got the thought
that during
these tragic wars
a town could have hundreds of dead in a small amount of time
these grave yards would appear very quickly


I used to think
that this grave yard came over many years
for some yes
others
it was like sept 11
thousands dead
in one day 









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJjwb4eyAyo&feature=player_detailpage