Memorial Day today looks, feels far different from Decoration Day

By Wally Wachter

May 18, 2008 05:32 pm

— A move to provide longer holiday weekends for the fun-loving and to avoid one-day shutdowns in the middle of the week has taken much of the solemnity out of Memorial Day. It also has caused much confusion, as some states still stick to the original order that officially set the holiday for May 30.
Recently decreed by Congress, the day set aside to honor the dead of all U.S wars now is the last Monday in May. This year it falls on May 26.
Back when we were young the holiday was called Decoration Day. It was always on May 30 whether it fell on Sunday or any week day.
It was a day completely dedicated as a tribute to the memory of relatives, neighbors or friends who had given their lives in combat. Flags were displayed on virtually all front porches in the town. On flagpoles in public places the Stars and Stripes properly flew at half-staff until noon, then were raised.
Most businesses were closed for the day. Unlike today, it was not a day for special sales events. Industries, likewise, paused in the interest of the occasion and gave its employees an opportunity to join in the tribute.
The custom of parades, memorial programs in community cemeteries, decoration of graves of deceased veterans and family picnics has continued through the years, but changing times have dictated a new attitude of diminishing patriotism and interest.
Memorial Day parades during the post World War One years when we were growing up radiated a solemn patriotic feeling to the thousands in each community who lined the route of the march.
The processions had no fire trucks, no displays of the latest model cars, no political figures to wave to the crowds from the parading cars.
The parades led to cemeteries, veterans squares or monuments where the memorial programs were held.
The American Legion, and later other military groups, shortly after World War I, began visiting cemeteries and marking the graves of fallen veterans with plaques and flags. Back then most of the graves were of Civil War and Spanish-American War veterans.
But since that time the honored list has been monumental. The honored list has grown to include the fallen dead of World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam War and even Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wally Wachter is a retired managing editor of The Herald.

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