WWII veteran addresses Saulsbury Memorial Day observance

Memorial Day originated in 1868. Originally it was a day when Union veterans decorated the graves of the Civil War dead with flowers. This first “Decoration Day”, as it was called, was held on May 30, 1868. The South originally refused to join the North in their honoring of those killed in action and, instead, held decoration ceremonies on different dates. The joint observance began during World War I when the day was declared to be in memory of any member of the military who had died in any war. In 1971, Congress designated the last Monday in May as the national holiday, now known as Memorial Day.
On Saturday, May 23, Saulsbury held its 2015 Memorial Day program at the city’s cemetery. Approximately 40 people attended. Organized by the Cemetery committee, the program included decorating every deceased veteran’s grave with a flag, a guest speaker, a short devotion, and a dinner on the grounds.

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