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Volume 14, Number 6 Published in the interest of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin community • www.irwin.army.mil June 1, 2018
150th anniversary of Memorial Day
Monday May 28 marked the 150th of the Republic, an organization of ated to honor the fallen of the Civil who serve today. prosper.
anniversary of Memorial Day. Union Veterans, established Decora- War, but after World War One, the I have the best job in the Army. Their lives remind us that free-
tion Day as a time to honor Civil War holiday was expanded to honor the
In honor of those Americans who Veterans by decorating their graves fallen from all American Wars. As the commander of the National dom is not bought cheaply. It has a
have fallen in battle, leaders from with flowers and wreaths. Training Center, I see every day the cost; it imposes a burden. And just
the National Training Center and And that is why we gather here courage and commitment of today’s as they whom we commemorate
Fort Irwin attended memorial events According to an article in the today. military service members. My charge were willing to sacrifice, so too must
throughout Southern California. New York Times in June eighteen is to make sure that they are ready we—in a less final, less heroic way—
sixty-eight, Logan had adapted the From Lexington Green to the to engage and defeat the enemies of be willing to give of ourselves. “If
Brig. Gen. Jeff Broadwater, com- holiday from a plan “the ladies of the Deserts of the Middle East - when- the United States, wherever needed. words cannot repay the debt we owe
manding general of the NTC was the South had instituted.†ever freedom is threatened, gallant these men, surely with our actions we
keynote speaker at an event at Mount men and women of America risked, I can tell you that they are ready. must strive to keep faith with them
Soledad National Veterans Monument The first large observance of Me- and too often gave their lives, in In closing, I’m reminded of the and with the vision that led them to
in San Diego. morial Day was held at Arlington service to America. It’s what has challenge then-President Ronald battle and to final sacrifice.â€
National Cemetery in Virginia, with always made America the beacon Reagan gave to all Americans on
Below is the text of his prepared about five thousand in attendance. of hope and freedom that it is – the behalf of those we have lost, when I ask that each of us take up Presi-
remarks.. generations of brave and courageous he spoke at Arlington National dent Reagan’s challenge, and through
The ceremony was held at the warriors who dedicate themselves Cemetery on Memorial Day, 1982. our own actions, keep faith with all
Memorial Day veranda of the Arlington mansion, to the defense of the United States “Our first obligation to them and those who have fought our wars, by
The American Civil War — once home to Robert E. Lee. and that my friends, is why we have ourselves is plain enough,†he said. keeping their memory alive.
fought bravely by soldiers in both Memorial Day. “The United States and the freedom
Blue and Grey – was the original The event was hosted by Mrs. for which it stands, the freedom for Thank you and God Bless the
inspiration behind what we now Julia Grant and her husband, Gen. Their spirit lives on in the Sol- which they died, must endure and United States of America
know as Memorial Day. Ulysses S. Grant. diers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines
The Civil War would be the most Lead Train Win.
deadly war in American History. On Memorial Day was originally cre-
both sides, over close to half a million
American’s fell.
After the war, many communi-
ties, especially in the South, began
to honor the fallen by decorating the
grave sites of those who fell in battle.
According to “The Genesis of
the Memorial Holiday in Americaâ€
authors Daniel Bellware and Richard
Gardiner state the origins of the or-
ganized Memorial Day Holiday can
be traced to the Ladies Memorial
Association of Columbus Georgia.
In 1866, the secretary of the as-
sociation penned a letter that was
widely published in newspapers in
both the North and South.
In the letter she asked for the
Press and Ladies throughout the
South to “aid us in our effort to set
apart a certain day to be observed
from the Potomac to the Rio Grande
and be handed down through time
a religious custom of the country to
wreathe the graves of our martyred
dead with flowers.â€
When the Ladies Memorial As-
sociation went to the cemetery to
place decorations on the graves of the
Confederate Soldiers buried there,
they decided to honor the Union
Soldiers also.
Many of the Union Soldiers bur-
ied in that cemetery had been under
the command of General Grant at
the battle of Shiloh when they were
killed.
Three years after the war had
ended, the head of the Grand Army
