Memorial Day Word Search

Remembering The Fallen: Memorial Day Traditions

For most Americans, the last Monday in May marks the conclusion of a long weekend and the unofficial start of summer. For many, Memorial Day is more significant — it commemorates the men and women who lost their lives in battle. In the Southern Appalachian region, families follow the rituals of Decoration Day, the precursor to Memorial Day. Others visit memorials across the nation to lay flowers and pay their respects.

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NEAL CONAN, host:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. Im Neal Conan in Washington.

The last Monday in May marks the end of a long weekend for most, maybe a family barbecue on the unofficial start of summer. For many, Memorial Day is more significant - a day to commemorate, in various ways, the men and women who lost their lives in battle.

For most of the program, we'll talk about how the tradition of Decoration Day, the design of our memorials, but we want to ask you about who. Who do you remember this Memorial Day? Give us a call, 800-989-8255. Email us, talk@npr.org. You can also join the conversation on our website. That's at npr.org. Click on TALK OF THE NATION.

Later in the program, author Simon Winchester on the most complex word in the English language. We have a new champion. But first, Memorial Day.

And let's start with a caller. Ray joins us on the line from Chicago. Ray, nice to have you with us today.

RAY (Caller): Thank you, sir.

CONAN: Who do you remember this Memorial Day?

RAY: My Uncle Dale Glaspin(ph), my father's brother.

CONAN: And how did he die?

RAY: He was with the Army invading in the South Pacific, and the captain of the landing craft choked and left men out where they couldn't walk to shore, and Dale couldn't swim. He drowned.

CONAN: I'm sorry to hear that, and do you remember which battle that was?

RAY: It's the name of an island, New Guinea. The only time - the only time I ever saw my father weep was when he got word that his brother had died.

CONAN: There were several invasions. General MacArthur was in charge of that. They hop-scotched around the shore, avoiding Japanese forces in various places and isolating them. And though it was a brilliant campaign, yes, a lot of men died, including your uncle, and I'm sorry to hear that. How do you remember him on this day?

Memorial Day Thoughts « WORDsearch Bible Software Blog

Realizing that Memorial Day is just a few days away, I started to think about the importance of such a day. There are lots of days & events from history that we can choose to remember, and there is really no shortage of them. For example, from Scripture we can find in Exodus 12:14 that the Passover was to be a memorial day for the Jews to remember how God freed them from their bondage in Egypt. That was a significant event in biblical history & is still commemorated to this day.

Much in the same way that Jews remember the Passover, the Civil War was a significant point in American history. As a result Memorial Day (formerly Decoration Day) was established as a federal holiday to commemorate those who lost their lives in that tragic war. It has since been changed to remember those American soldiers who have died in all wars. Remembering those who have fallen while fighting for our rights & protecting our freedom is well worth it.

As Americans, Memorial Day is a great opportunity for us to display our patriotism; but, this quote from Henry Morris’ Days to Remember: Devotions for the Holidays Throughout the Year

To the Christian, an annual Memorial Day should have still an additional special meaning. Not only do we desire to honor those who died for their country (and many of us do, indeed, recall with deep love and respect close friends and family members in this honored company), but also to remember those who lived for the Lord, and whose lives and ministries have helped guide us to the light for our own difficult pathways today. Parents and teachers, authors and preachers, counselors and friends—many of whom have already gone to be with the Lord—deserve to be remembered and honored, for it will make that great future Homecoming Day all the more blessed when we are all together with the Lord when He returns ( 1 Thess. 4:17 ).