Shoreham War Memorial

Today is Memorial Day here in the United States. It is the day we honor those who died while serving in the Armed Forces.

Some history:

“Memorial Day was originally called “Decoration Day.” In 1869, the head of an organization of Union veterans, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, established Decoration Day as a way for the nation to honor the graves of those who died in the Civil War with flowers, according to the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department…

…There are debates over which city was the origin of Memorial Day, although the first large observation was held at Arlington National Cemetery for a crowd of about 5,000 in 1868.

It is believed that May 30 was chosen by Logan as the day to observe Decoration Day because flowers would be in bloom nationwide, the VA website wrote.

Though there were future conversations over the official day for Memorial Day, by the end of the 19th century, state legislatures passed proclamations naming May 30 as the holiday.

In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday, placing it as the last Monday in May. According to the VA, the day was expanded to honor all those who have died in American wars.”-https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/national-international/what-is-the-history-of-memorial-day/2903835/#:~:text=Memorial%20Day%20was%20originally%20called,the%20U.S.%20Veterans%20Affairs%20Department.

In this video I read each and every name presented on the War Memorial. All of these men fought and died during the American Civil War and were honored here. Their names and service may have been lost to time had it not been for this memorial.

Please join me in honoring them, especially on Memorial Day.

What is a “war memorial” you may be asking. It could be some type of structure which celebrates a military victory, such as a successful battle or even the war itself. In Arlington, Virginia, here in the United States for example, there is The Marine Corps War Memorial depicting the raising of the American flag by Marines on Iwo Jima. That war memorial is abundantly iconic. Another type of war memorial, which the one in my video shows, is a list of those who gave their lives for their country.

Three sides have Civil War casualties listed on them. All served on the Union side, members of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR).

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