I use to think Memorial Day was a holiday recognizing the contributions of Veterans. I later learned it is a day that honors and pays tribute to those who made the ultimate contribution, their lives.
In the beginning, it was called Decoration Day. People who lived near Civil War battlefields would scatter flowers across the fields where Union and Confederate troops had died.
The bloodiest battle of that war was Gettysburg where over the course of three days, an estimated 50, 000 died. That’s near the population here in Walker County. Communities across the North and South lost sons, brothers, and fathers. Hopes and dreams of soldiers and their families were gone forever.
Not long after the end of the war, those who survived began the unofficial holiday, which came to be known as Decoration Day. As the decades went by our country was involved in several wars, and Memorial Day, the last Monday in May was dedicated to honor all men and women who died in service to our country.
It’s hard to find a family that has not been touched by war. My mom’s family lost their brother Marvin Lee Ferguson. He was in the Pacific, about to celebrate Christmas in Hawaii on the USS California, a Navy battleship. When the attack on Pearl Harbor took place on Dec. 7, in less than two hours 2500 people died, one of which was Uncle Marvin. The local VFW hall is named in his honor.
Every Memorial Day I think of Uncle Marvin and wonder what kind of man he would have become had he not died on that Sunday in Hawaii.
These days, Memorial Day is celebrated as the beginning of summer. Families spend the day eating hot dogs and BBQ, going to the lakes or beaches and making their summer plans. Maybe there are some who don’t even know why there is a Memorial Day. I sure hope not.
Jilda and I will fire up the grill and visit with friends and family. But we both know those who gave the ultimate contribution and I can promise you, we will remember those who picked up the tab for our Memorial Day Celebration.
