Memorial Day or Unknown Heroes

Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May, honoring the fallen soldiers since the Civil War, often forgotten and not decorated, are the Memorials of the Unknown Heroes who lie buried around the world. When Bummer was young, the Father,Uncles, Grandfathers, called it Decoration Day and all would pile in cars and travel, with bouquets, wreaths and flags, to solemn locations and decorate the graves of family war dead, in and around Southern California. It was an honor, for these veterans to include the widows of relatives and friends in the caravan to the different resting places of their loved ones. Whether called Memorial Day or just a day to decorate the graves and remember the heroes who protected our hearth and home, guaranteeing the American way of life, these family veterans never forgot to place a flag and a flowery tribute, not at a grave, but at the entrance to the cemetery, in remembrance of the Heroes that lie unknown, but not forgotten, the world over.

There seemed to be so many locations, hundreds of graves and so little time. Each stop on the memorial agenda, was not a celebration, but a sobering procession to each and every headstone. A strict regimen was enforced by the elder veterans on the younger members of the entourage. Always walk between the graves, never step on a head stone, no running, jumping, climbing or laughing, it was instilled in all the future veterans, that we were visiting hallowed ground, a revered realm of men that died, in order that we could enjoy our freedoms.

A routine was followed at each site, once it was found. It never ceased to amaze, that every year, some graves appeared to have been moved. Where had it gone? There was the obelisque, the grove of trees, the roads and trails were the same, all would fan out and search for the headstones. The resting places, when found, (they always were) the headstones were clipped of the intruding grass, swept, surrounded by family, flowers and flags arranged, just right, a few choice words or prayers or tears, all would gather at the cars and travel to the entrance, where the Grandfathers would plant another flag and arrange a spray of flowers and indulge in a short memorial prayer of thanks for the Unknowns around the globe. Then on to the next family or friend’s plot.

Memorial Day is filled with parades, marching veterans, celebrants of life, cookouts, family gatherings, a rich heritage of patriotism and while remembering the marked graves of our defenders of freedom, savor a moment for this countries Unknown Heroes, proudly display our Flag or travel to an unfamiliar veteran’s resting place and leave your personal thank you for his or her service.

Bummer