Peace Poppies Silver Necklace
by imagefactory |
|  In
Flanders Fields
By John
McCrae
In Flanders
fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly.
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the
dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our
quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
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US Memorial Day
by Lee Hansen - Pastiche Family Portal
Patriotic
Printables - stickers, iron ons, posters
Memorial Day is a US holiday of reverence and respect for those who served
the nation in military service. The holiday was formerly known as Decoration
Day, and observed on May 30th every year.
The original name came from the practice
of decorating the graves of veterans who died during battles of the Civil War.
The observance later expanded to commemorate fallen soldiers from all past or
current conflicts, and then later still to include all US service veterans.
Memorial Day is a day marked by solemn military and government observances
and local parades through the nation; many families also observe the day as
one of personal tribute and reflection by decorating the graves of family members,
both veterans and non-veterans.
In recent years commercial enterprises have
promoted the holiday as a 3-day kickoff to summer and family activities. As
a result, the true meaning and history become slightly obscured in times of
peace. Nevertheless, in Washington DC on Memorial Day the president or vice
president visits Arlington National Cemetery and lays a wreath at the tomb of
the Unknown Soldier.
Military honor guards fire their rifles in salute, speakers
help the public remember the real meaning for Memorial Day, and parades featuring
representatives of the armed forces, veterans organizations and veterans take
place in communities large and small. Most communities conduct cemetery ceremonies
and place flags and/or flowers on the graves of veterans and hold public assemblies
to honor local veterans who served in all campaigns and service branches.
 The official date of celebration for Memorial Day changed in 1971 to the third
Monday in May by an act of Congress, to establish a long weekend for the holiday
observance. A few states in the US still observe May 30 as Memorial Day in addition
to the federal holiday; some southern states also observe a different day as
a Confederate war dead holiday. Other nations observe days of reverence and
honor for their war and service veterans, including Australia, Canada and most
European countries.
The red poppy is the traditional flower to honor and commemorate veterans in
North America, Europe and Australia. The red poppy was made famous by a poem-
In Flanders Fields - written during World War I by Canadian army surgeon
Lt. Col. John McCrae. On Memorial Day, as on Veterans Day, many veterans and patriots wear a red lapel poppy
to honor fallen soldier buddies.
Non-veterans also wear the Buddy Poppy to honor those who died protecting our
freedom. Since 1924, disabled veterans - who receive compensation for their
work - have assembled Buddy
Poppies in hospitals and "Poppy shops." The VFW and American Legion
Auxiliary distribute the official Buddy Poppies freely to the public in time
for Memorial Day ceremonies, accepting only contributions for the poppies. All
contributions received in exchange for Buddy Poppies go directly to fund assistance
programs for needy or disabled veterans and to the immediate family survivors
of fallen veterans.
Memorial Day / Buddy Poppy Links
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