Observances throughout the country will be staged over the long weekend to recognize the #sacrifice of those who perished defending the United States. One popular annual event is the National Memorial Day Concert, which is set to be broadcast on Sunday, May 28, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET live from the U.S. Capitol. A remembrance ceremony will take place on Monday, May 29, with a speech from President Biden. More than 130 Veterans Administration events are planned, as well as countless local parades and #memorial observances. “On Memorial Day, we #honor the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” says VA Secretary Denis McDonough. #MemorialDay
Tag: thanking veterans
Memorial Day: A 156-Year-Old Tradition
Memorial Day began after the Civil War, the nation’s bloodiest conflict. Formal and informal ceremonies honoring soldiers who had fallen in battle began in 1866, according to Veteran.com. By 1868, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a Union veteran organization, had established Decoration Day in late May as a time for the nation to decorate graves with flowers. The armed services and individual states codifed the holiday and adopted policies for observing it. After World War I, the day was expanded to honor all who died in U.S. wars, but it wasn’t until 1971 that Memorial Day was declared a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Monday in May. #MemorialDay
1,000 Ceremonies Honor Vietnam Veterans
Nearly 1,000 ceremonies observed National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29 to thank and honor Vietnam veterans, according to Vietnam War Commemoration, including a wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. If you missed the ceremony but still want to #honor #veterans, visit its Facebook page to watch a video of the ceremony, or thank a veteran personally by sending a note, volunteering a local VA hospital or supporting upcoming veterans events in your area. You can also support veterans by #donating to ClothingDonations.org. #NationalVietnamWarVeteransDay
Honoring Service for National Vietnam Veterans Day
West Chester (Pennsylvania) University celebrated National Vietnam War Veterans Day with insights from several local Vietnam War #veterans and the public unveiling of a Vietnam War digital/oral history project. Students in WCU’s History Department conducted 40 interviews with local veterans and collected more than 100 photos and artifacts for the project. “For many of the era’s participants, the war’s aftermath rendered an uncomfortable silence,” says professor Bob Kodosky. “I am proud that our students have provided a means for these individuals to finally share their voices as well as their historical narratives.” #NationalVietnamWarVeteransDay
Thank a Vietnam Veteran for Their Sacrifice
One good reason to observe National Vietnam War Veterans Day this week is to give voice to the serious concerns that many of the Vietnam War’s #veterans face as they age, writes disabled Vietnam War veteran and Florida Veterans Hall of Famer John Stewart in the Citrus County Chronicle. Beyond being shunned for fighting an unpopular war upon their return, Vietnam veterans now suffer from high rates of #suicide, health problems related to Agent Orange exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Why should we have a National Vietnam Veterans Day? Because [the veterans] deserve it. Period,” he says. “Thank them.” #NationalVietnamWarVeteransDay