Memorial DayFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Memorial Day (disambiguation). Memorial Day The gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery are decorated by U.S. flags on Memorial Day weekend in 2008. Official nameMemorial Day Observed byUnited States TypeNational ObservancesRemembrance of American war dead DateLast Monday in May 2016 dateMay 30 2017 dateMay 29 2018 dateMay 28 2019 dateMay 27 FrequencyAnnualMemorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces.[1] The holiday, which is currently observed every year on the last Monday of May,[2] originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868, when the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans founded in Decatur, Illinois, established it as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the Union war dead with flowers.[3] By the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service.[1] It marks the start of the unofficial summer vacation season,[4] while Labor Day marks its end. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries. Annual Decoration Days for particular cemeteries are held on a Sunday in late spring or early summer in some rural areas of the American South, notably in the mountain areas. In cases involving a family graveyard where remote ancestors as well as those who were deceased more recently are buried, this may take on the character of an extended family reunion to which some people travel hundreds of miles. People gather on the designated day and put flowers on graves and renew contacts with relatives and others. There often is a religious service and a picnic-like "dinner on the grounds," the traditional term for a potluck meal at a church. It is believed that this practice began before the American Civil War and thus may reflect the real origin of the "memorial day" idea.[5] Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.[6] Contents [hide]
History[edit] 1870 Decoration Day parade in St. Paul, MinnesotaThe practice of decorating soldiers' graves with flowers is an ancient custom.[7] Soldiers' graves were decorated in the U.S. before[8]and during the American Civil War. Following President Abraham Lincoln's assassination in April 1865, there were a variety of events of commemoration. The sheer number of soldiers of both sides who died in the Civil War (more than 600,000) meant that burial and memorialization took on new cultural significance. Under the leadership of women during the war, an increasingly formal practice of decorating graves had taken shape. In 1865, the federal government began creating national military cemeteries for the Union war dead.[9] The Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper claimed in 1906 that Warrenton, Virginia, was the location of the first Civil War soldier's grave ever to be decorated; the date cited was June 3, 1861.[10] There is also documentation that women in Savannah, Georgia, decorated Confederate soldiers' graves in 1862.[11] The 1863 cemetery dedication at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was, of course, a ceremony of commemoration at the graves of dead soldiers. In addition, local historians in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, claim that ladies there decorated soldiers' graves on July 4, 1864,[12] and Boalsburg promotes itself as the birthplace of Memorial Day.[13] Historian David W. Blight, citing an observance after the end of the Civil War in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 1, 1865, has claimed that "African Americans invented Memorial Day in Charleston, South Carolina,"[14] based on accounts in the Charleston Daily Courier and coverage by the New York Tribune. But in 2012 Blight stated that he "has no evidence" that the event in Charleston inspired the establishment of Memorial Day across the country.[15] Accordingly, Snopes labels Blight's claims "mostly false."[16] Despite this ongoing lively debate, there is an "official" birthplace. On May 26, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the presidential proclamation naming Waterloo, New York, as the holder of the title. This action followed House Concurrent Resolution 587, in which the 89th Congress had officially recognized that the patriotic tradition of observing Memorial Day had begun one hundred years prior in Waterloo, New York.[17] Snopes also regards the Waterloo legend as apocryphal.[18] In the North[edit] The Tomb of the Unknowns located in Arlington National CemeteryCopying a practice that began in the Southern states,[19][20][21] on May 5, 1868, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, the veterans' organization for Union Civil War veterans, General John A. Logan issued a proclamation calling for "Decoration Day" to be observed annually and nationwide.[5] It was observed for the first time that year on Saturday May 30; the date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of any particular battle.[22] According to the White House, the May 30 date was chosen as the optimal date for flowers to be in bloom.[23] Memorial Day, Boston by Henry SandhamMemorial events were held in 183 cemeteries in 27 states in 1868, and 336 in 1869.[24] The northern states quickly adopted the holiday. Michigan made "Decoration Day" an official state holiday in 1871 and by 1890, every northern state had followed suit. The ceremonies were sponsored by the Women's Relief Corps, the women's auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), which had 100,000 members. By 1870, the remains of nearly 300,000 Union dead had been reinterred in 73 national cemeteries, located near major battlefields and thus mainly in the South. The most famous are Gettysburg National Cemetery in Pennsylvania and Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C.[25] Memorial Day speeches became an occasion for veterans, politicians, and ministers to commemorate the War and, at first, to rehash the "atrocities" of the enemy. They mixed religion and celebratory nationalism and provided a means for the people to make sense of their history in terms of sacrifice for a better nation. People of all religious beliefs joined together and the point was often made that the German and Irish soldiers had become true Americans in the "baptism of blood" on the battlefield.[26] Ironton, Ohio, lays claim to the nation's oldest continuously running Memorial Day parade. Its first parade was held May 5, 1868, and the town has held it every year since; however, the Memorial Day parade in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, predates Ironton's by one year.[27] In the South[edit] Confederate Memorial Monument in Montgomery, AlabamaA Memorial Day holiday was in practice in the South since 1866.[28][29] The U.S. National Park Service, as well as numerous scholars, attribute its beginning to the ladies of Columbus, Georgia.[30][31][32][33][34][35] Originally called "Memorial Day," the Southern commemoration appended the label "Confederate" to the title when northerners co-opted the holiday in 1868.[36]The tradition of observances which emerged in the South were linked to the "Lost Cause" and, they served as the prototype for the national day of memory embraced by the nation in 1868.[31][37] Specifically, on April 25, 1866, women in Columbus, Mississippi laid flowers on the graves of both the Union and Confederate dead in the city's cemetery.[38] The early Confederate Memorial Day celebrations were simple, somber occasions for veterans and their families to honor the dead and tend to local cemeteries. By 1890, there was a shift from the emphasis on honoring specific soldiers to a public commemoration of the lost Confederate cause.[39] Changes in the ceremony's hymns and speeches reflect an evolution of the ritual into a symbol of cultural renewal and conservatism in the South. By 1913, Blight argues, the theme of American nationalism shared equal time with the Lost Cause.[40] Historians acknowledge the Ladies Memorial Association played a key role in these rituals of preservation of Confederate "memory."[41] Various dates ranging from April 25 to mid-June were adopted in different Southern states. Across the South, associations were founded, many by women, to establish and care for permanent cemeteries for the Confederate dead, organize commemorative ceremonies, and sponsor appropriate monuments as a permanent way of remembering the Confederate dead. The most important of these was the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which grew from 17,000 members in 1900 to nearly 100,000 women by World War I. They were "strikingly successful at raising money to build Confederate monuments, lobbying legislatures and Congress for the reburial of Confederate dead, and working to shape the content of history textbooks."[42] At Gettysburg[edit] Soldiers National Monument at the center of Gettysburg National CemeteryThe ceremonies and Memorial Day address at Gettysburg National Park became nationally well known, starting in 1868. In July 1913, veterans of the United States and Confederate armies gathered in Gettysburg to commemorate the fifty-year anniversary of the Civil War's bloodiest and most famous battle.[43] The four-day "Blue-Gray Reunion" featured parades, re-enactments, and speeches from a host of dignitaries, including President Woodrow Wilson, the first Southerner elected to the White House after the War. James Heflin of Alabama gave the main address. Heflin was a noted orator; two of his best-known speeches were an endorsement of the Lincoln Memorial and his call to make Mother's Day a holiday. His choice as Memorial Day speaker was criticized, as he was opposed for his support of segregation; however, his speech was moderate in tone and stressed national unity and goodwill, gaining him praise from newspapers. Since the cemetery dedication at Gettysburg occurred on November 19, that day (or the closest weekend) has been designated as their own local memorial day that is referred to as Remembrance Day.[44] Name and date[edit] "On Decoration Day" Political cartoon c 1900 by John T. McCutcheon. Caption: "You bet I'm goin' to be a soldier, too, like my Uncle David, when I grow up."The preferred name for the holiday gradually changed from "Decoration Day" to "Memorial Day," which was first used in 1882.[45] Memorial Day did not become the more common name until after World War II, and was not declared the official name by Federal law until 1967.[46] On June 28, 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend.[47] The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The law took effect at the federal level in 1971.[47] After some initial confusion and unwillingness to comply, all 50 states adopted Congress' change of date within a few years. Memorial Day endures as a holiday which most businesses observe because it marks the unofficial beginning of summer. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) advocate returning to the original date, although the significance of the date is tenuous. The VFW stated in a 2002 Memorial Day Address: Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed a lot to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.[48] Starting in 1987 Hawaii's Senator Daniel Inouye, a World War II veteran, introduced a measure to return Memorial Day to its traditional date. Inouye continued introducing the resolution until his death in 2012.[49] Traditional observance[edit]On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon.[50] It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.[51] Memorial Day observances in small New England towns are often marked by dedications and remarks by veterans, state legislators, and selectmen.The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country. At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all. The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol.[52] The concert is broadcast on PBS and NPR. Music is performed, and respect is paid to the men and women who gave their lives for their country. For many Americans, the central event is attending one of the thousands of parades held on Memorial Day in large and small cities all over the country. Most of these feature marching bands and an overall military theme with the National Guard and other servicemen participating along with veterans and military vehicles from various wars. One of the longest-standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, an auto race which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911.[53] It runs on the Sunday preceding the Memorial Day holiday. NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 has been held later the same day since 1961. The Memorial Tournament golf event has been held on or close to the Memorial Day weekend since 1976. The final of the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship is currently held on Memorial Day. In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, asking people to stop and remember at 3:00 P.M.[54] Poppies[edit]Main article: Remembrance poppyIn 1915, following the Second Battle of Ypres, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a physician with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, wrote the poem, "In Flanders Fields". Its opening lines refer to the fields of poppies that grew among the soldiers' graves in Flanders. In 1918, inspired by the poem, YWCA worker Moina Michael attended a YWCA Overseas War Secretaries' conference wearing a silk poppy pinned to her coat and distributed over two dozen more to others present. In 1920, the National American Legion adopted it as their official symbol of remembrance.[55] As civil religious holiday[edit]Scholars,[56][57][58][59] following the lead of sociologist Robert Bellah, often make the argument that the United States has a secular "civil religion" – one with no association with any religious denomination or viewpoint – that has incorporated Memorial Day as a sacred event. With the Civil War, a new theme of death, sacrifice and rebirth enters the civil religion. Memorial Day gave ritual expression to these themes, integrating the local community into a sense of nationalism. The American civil religion, in contrast to that of France, was never anticlerical or militantly secular; in contrast to Britain, it was not tied to a specific denomination, such as the Church of England. The Americans borrowed from different religious traditions so that the average American saw no conflict between the two, and deep levels of personal motivation were aligned with attaining national goals.[60] Memorial Day has been called a "modern cult of the dead". It incorporates Christian themes of sacrifice while uniting citizens of various faiths.[61]
0 Comments
The old warning, “Don’t ever shoot ammo reloaded by anybody but yourself” has saved shooters a lot of grief over the years. Another should exist: “Be afraid of your own sloppy reloading habits.”Poor reloading habits seem to commonly fly under the safety radar. Most of the newer firearms available today are very strong, allowing small reloading mistakes to go undetected.Below are several of the most common issues that make “reloading” synonymous with “hazardous.” Avoid these, and you and your appendages are likely to survive to see many more years of shooting your favorite reloads.
Contributed by Cami Brasher (image: www.hobbygunsmith.com)
I am a 51 year old grandmother who has been reloading my cartridge ammunition for the last 30 years. The fact that I am female seems to surprise most people as reloading seems to be the last bastion of male dominance in firearms. So, Ladies, we need to learn to reload! Why reload?
Over the years I have found that the extra time used to improve my family’s lot is not wasted time! I also comparison shop, make my own household cleaners, soaps and lotions, coupon like no one’s business and I work! I bet I am not the only one… Still with me? If you are, then let’s talk about how to get started in reloading without spending a ton of money that no one has in this economy. The most important step in learning to reload is to educate yourself on the process and on safety! Handling components without hurting yourself and others is of primary importance. If you are fortunate to have a spouse, brother or trusted friend who reloads, I would recommend asking them to let you watch and ask questions! Buy a good reloading manual and read about the subject before you ever touch a press. I like the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, Nosler Reloading Guide or Hodgdon’s Annual Manual. I prefer these manuals because not all of the information you can find online is accurate. Once you know more about the process, then the internet can become a helpful resource. Always, always, always, use data that comes from a recent manual because reloading is changing faster than ever and new products are introduced all of the time. Any of the major manufacturer’s websites will also have useful data that is reliable and they have the laboratory equipment and testing capabilities, where as the guy on YouTube doesn’t have the facilities or the checks and rechecks. Always take the side of safety and use reputable resources and manuals! Okay, now that you have educated yourself on reloading, what is the least expensive way to proceed? If you have a spouse, brother or friend who has a press and some serious experience, have them teach and watch you as you begin with one caliber and reload that successfully. As with anything else, the more you practice, the better you will get. Many of us do not know anyone who reloads, In that case check with local gun shops. Many of them offer reloading classes! After you have become familiar with reloading, it’s time to begin to think about getting your own equipment, believe me you will know when you’re ready. These are the minimum that you will need to reload your favorite handgun.
Each of these may be purchased inexpensively if you shop around, since we are women that is a given. The major names in reloading presses are RCBS, Dillon, Lyman, and Lee. My current press is an old Lyman that a friend gave me. It is a four stage, single press that is hand cranked and allows me to quality control the entire process. I do not have a progressive press which can perform different operations on multiple cases although I have used several of them. Personally, I enjoy the process and for a single person I can make plenty of rounds in an hour. I would suggest you start with a single stage and keep it if you get a progressive, they are great for checking loads and reloading rifle rounds! In addition to the equipment you will also need primers, powder, bullets and empty casings. You can pick up your empty brass and your friends at the range or you can buy them. As for primers, it will depend on the caliber that you are reloading. Powder is made by a bunch of different companies and again the powder you need will be determined by what caliber you are reloading. Check your manuals and then look around for powder either at a gun show or a shop that you trust. Both are still in short supply these days as are bullets, but they can be found if you are patient. This may seem like a lot of trouble to go through but reloading is relaxing and feeds your inner nerd! It also confounds men and I get a perverse pleasure in doing that while saving money for more and better guns! I hope this helps many of you to decide to join the ranks of ladies who reload; I wouldn’t still be doing this if I didn’t enjoy it. Credit - http://thewellarmedwoman.com |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2017
Categories |
Copyright © 2017