by Greg Spinks

Created on: February 11, 2009

Traditional Memorial Day observances are solemn and somber events. It is a day to reflect and remember the ultimate sacrifices of the men and women in the US military, who died protecting and defending our American way of life. As with most holidays, there is a certain evolution as to it's meaning and traditions; each generation places it's own tradition.

Originally known as Decoration Day, the day of reflection has it's origins in the American Civil war. Graves of the soldiers, who fought on either side of the conflict, were decorated with flowers. The somber event usually included a mournful parade with bands who played military and spiritual music, religious leaders of the community would preach and military leaders addressed the crowds with their insights and comments. The observances were frequently followed by a communal meal.

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a once powerful Civil War veterans organization, was largely responsible for many of the traditional observance still observed in many locations, particularly in the smaller rural villages throughout the US. In the southern states, a number of veterans groups also honored the war dead with similar commemorative events.

For the GAR, the day was of utmost importance. According to the written entries in a minute kept by the Col. Lytle Post Number 240, throughout the 1880's and 1890's in western Erie County, Pennsylvania, planning for the day's events began months ahead of the Decoration Day.

Committees were appointed to be in charge of the decorations at various cemeteries, another to search for a military speaker, preachers, local bands to play music during the services and another to organize a communal meal or at times a post picnic following the solemn events.

The general public was invited to attended the ceremonies and frequently, invitations were sent to other smaller GAR posts in the region to join in the observances, decorating and the meal. Following the solemn memorial events, the graves decorated, including those killed in the war and those who died since the hostilities ended, were recorded and in their location, letters of thanks were authorized to be sent to the speakers, as well as, to the bands which played along with an unspecified payment.

Following World War 1, the GAR began to decline as the aging veterans of the tragic civil war began to die. The American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars then took over the role and led many of the traditional Memorial Day events, as they

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