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LAURELTON LIONS CLUB/VFW POST 5298
HISTORY OF MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day is a time to reflect,
(Home Club of
DG Deborah Harrison) remember, and appreciate the service
performed by each person. It is a day
Memorial Day, originally known as to remember every fallen warrior who
Decoration Day, originated in the gave everything, even his life, in ser-
years following The Civil War and vice to this country.
became an official Federal Holiday
in 1971. Many Americans observe “There is nothing happy about Memo-
Memorial Day by visiting cemeter- rial Day when you are remembering
ies, participating in memorial pa- your fellow brothers and sisters who
rades or holding family gatherings. never made it back and all the brave
men and women who have fought and
In 1966, the Federal Government died for your country and freedom.
declared Waterloo, New York as the Those of us, who have carried the
official birthplace of Memorial Day burden of service, especially in war
and designated May 5, 1866 as the time, will always remember and never
official holiday. This particular site forget our fallen warriors who now Photos show DG Deborah Harrison (Laurelton) at
was chosen because it already hosted stand their post for God”.
an annual community wide event. 30th Memorial Day Observance at Veterans’
Businesses were closed and residents Submitted by, Triangle in Queens with other Lions and veterans.
decorated the graves of soldiers with Lion Lenworth James
flowers and flags.

Originally, Memorial Day or Deco-
ration Day as it gradually became
known, honored only those lost
while fighting in the Civil
War. However, during World War
1, about 116,516 lives were lost and
the United States found itself em-
broiled in another major con-
flict. The holiday then evolved to
commemorate American Military
personnel who died in all wars.

 World War II = 405,399 service
persons.
 The Korean War = 33,686
lives.
 The Vietnam War =58,479
fatalities.
 The War in Iraq = 4,404
casualties
 The War in Afghanistan =
1,086 lives lost.

Today, their ultimate sacrifice is
memorialized on the last Monday in
May and it is also a Federal Holiday.