What Does Memorial Day Mean to You?

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday is Memorial Day. For those who do not know, Memorial Day is a federal holiday that now falls on the last Monday in May to remember members of the United States Armed Forces who were killed while serving in the military. Also, Armed Forces Day is a day to honor the people who currently wear the military uniform of our nation, and Veterans Day is a day to honor all those men and women who have served in the Armed Forces. However, Memorial Day has become a day to remember all our loved ones who have died, and all the federal holidays have become three-day weekends for many people.

I do not remember much about Memorial Day and do not know if my parents even visited the graves of loved ones. My father was not in the military because he was too young in World War I and too old in World War II. However, he served America by building railroad tunnels in Alaska on two separate occasions. Two older brothers were drafted into the Army, but neither left the United States. I was too young to know much about their service. It may be that my parents did not observe Memorial Day because we had no close relatives who lost their lives in military service for America.

I first learned about Memorial Day after marrying my husband. His family always observed Memorial Day and even spent the entire weekend driving to all the cemeteries. My husband comes from a family where numerous men served in one of the Armed Forces. His father was in the Navy until he was hit by a truck and broke his back.

A paternal uncle served in the same military group that dropped the bombs on Japan, although he was on leave when the bombs were dropped. Six or eight maternal uncles served in World War II, and two younger maternal uncles served in the Korean War. They all came home alive and in good health.

My oldest son served in the Air Force as a medical doctor. He was deployed several times but never to any war zone. However, his service taught me about the sacrifices made by the loved ones of our military defenders. The deployments bring great sacrifices to family members, but losing a spouse or parents brings even greater sacrifices. Too many military spouses are widowed, and too many military children are forced to face life without one of their parents.

On a lighter side, Memorial Day weekend marks the day of safety when Alaskans can put their plants in their gardens. So, what does Memorial Day mean to you?