1. In Remembrance of Those Who Gave Their Life For Our Country
Memorial Day
In Remembrance
of Those Who Gave Their Life For Our Country
Mr. Heath
Blue Creek Elementary School

2. Decoration Day Originally called Decoration Day
May have started when women’s groups in the South began decorating the graves of fallen soldiers during the Civil War.

3. First Official Observation
May 30, 1868
Flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, DC.

4. “In Flanders Fields”
Poem Written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae in 1915, the day after he performed the burial service for his friend who was killed in battle in Flanders, Belgium during World War I
John McCrae was a doctor in the Canadian Army
Became associated with Memorial Day

6. Poppies
The poem “In Flanders Fields” inspired the wearing of poppies on Memorial Day to honor all of those who died serving the nation during war.

7. Arlington National Cemetery
Each Memorial Day, 1,200 members of the 3rd Infantry Division place flags on the more than 260,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery.

8. Arlington National Cemetery

9. National Holiday
Congress made “Memorial Day” a national holiday in 1968
We began observing it on the last Monday in May in 1971.

10. American War Deaths
Over 1,300,000 Americans

11. Memorial Day Flag Etiquette
Flag flown at half-mast from sunrise until noon.
Full staff from noon until sunset.

12. Moment of Remembrance 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day
Everyone urged to stop what they are doing and observe a moment of silence.