TIME TO HONOR, REMEMBER, CELEBRATE OUR FREEDOM.
Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time.
Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery each year with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave.
This morning, President Donald Trump honored fallen service members by laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery. Flanked by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Trump placed the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before standing in silence as a bugle played “Taps.”
Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.
Unofficially, Memorial Day marks the beginning of the summer season. Cities and towns across the United States host Memorial Day parades each year, often incorporating military personnel and members of veterans’ organizations.
Honoring the Fallen.
To All Veterans – Thank You for Your Service!
Memorial Day Resources
- National Cemetery Administration
- National and State Veterans Cemeteries
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Displaying the Flag at Half-staff
- General Flag Display Guidelines
- Folding the Flag
- Poppy Flower
- Taps
Folds of Honor: Educational Scholarships for Spouses and Children of America’s Fallen and Disabled Service-Members
Folds of Honor has grown from a vision into a movement. The folded flag is a constant reminder of those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. It inspires us to help equip and educate their loved ones in need of our support. Thank you for embracing the call.Since 2007, the Folds of Honor has carried forth a singular, noble mission: To provide educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service-members.
Yet it’s also a symbol of hope, representing the enduring ideals that make this country a beacon of democracy. Folds of Honor chose this logo because it reflects a mission to honor the sacrifice of America’s heroes, while giving hope to the bearers of their legacy.
Honor Their Sacrifice. Educate Their Legacy.
Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW – Buddy Poppies
In the US, people wear the red poppy on Memorial Day to honor those who died protecting the country, according to The Department of Veterans Affairs. The practice of wearing of poppies takes its origin from the poem In Flanders Fields, written in 1915 by John McCrae.
The poppy is the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Veterans in VA hospitals across the United States assemble “Buddy Poppies”- a little, red artificial flower that people can wear in memory of members of the military who were killed in action. The sale of Buddy Poppies helps fund VFW initiatives to help disabled, needy and aging veterans.
Today, VFW Buddy Poppies are assembled by disabled, needy and aging veterans in VA Hospitals and veteran’s homes across the country; and are used by VFW Posts and their Ladies Auxiliaries to compensate the veterans who assemble the poppies. Donations also provide financial assistance to maintain state and national veterans’ rehabilitation and service programs, and to partially support the VFW National Home for veterans’ orphans and widows.
With help from the VFW, the “Little Red Flower” continues to benefit the needy. In 1989, for example, 17,894,684 poppies were sold for an average donation of 55 cents. To date, the VFW has sold over three quarters of a billion Buddy Poppies.
For more info on Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW, see https://www.vfw.org/news-and-publications/press-room/archives/2017/5/vfw-pauses-to-remember-americas-fallen.
