It was with heavy heart that I dragged myself away from church, feeling empty.
They did not have a Memorial Day service. How could they not?
TEXAS CHURCH HONORING MEMORIAL DAY
Wayside Chapel back home in San Antonio, Texas always had a huge Memorial Service, complete with the choir wearing patriotic colors singing the Service Songs Medley, and singing a powerful choral rendition of Battle Hymn of the Republic.
We also had the color guard from the local military school present the flags.
All vets were asked to wear their uniforms to the service and stand when their anthem was sung.
Quite often there were also special solos and I’m sure the pastor had a special message.
We did all of this for the Fourth of July and Veteran’s Day church services as well.
The music pastor’s father was a Navy vet, so he completely understood the sacrifice our service members make in giving their lives for our country.
Some of our military members return home, hopefully to much appreciation.
Others never do return home because they gave the ultimate sacrifice for us to have our freedoms today.
LOOKING FOR PATRIOTISM IN VIRGINIA
And then we came to Virginia where every church we’ve visited ignores Memorial Day.
How can a church not have a Memorial Day service?
We have freedom of religion today because of those who risked their lives in the defense of our nation.
Christian singer Michael W. Smith has been posting on his facebook account the following verse this weekend in recognition of Memorial Day: Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13
Those are our loved ones and friends who have gone to serve our country, some never to return home again.
Needing to honor those who died for our freedoms, I suggested we visit Arlington National Cemetery, located in Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, DC.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
In 1778, Martha Washington’s son, Jacky Parke Custis, bought this land, called Arlington, in hopes of conjoining it with his newly purchased home at Abingdon (now the site of Reagan National Airport).
When Jacky died after the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, his son, George Washington Parke Custis inherited the land.
George Washington Parke Custis decreed in his will that the property was to remain in the Custis family, so it passed down to his daughter, who married Robert E. Lee.
During the Civil War, the property became a cemetery for fallen soldiers.
FLAGS-IN
In a tradition known as Flags-in, the placement of American flags at each grave marker at Arlington National Cemetery began in 1948, the same year as the formation of the US Army’s ceremonial unit, the 3rd US Infantry Unit aka The Old Guard.
With the help of other service branches, each soldier ensures that a flag is carefully placed one boot length in front of each gravestone.
DECORATION DAY
Meanwhile, the flowers laid on each gravestone is a Decoration Day tradition that began during the Civil War, as inspired by the tradition of the Ancient Romans.
In fact, Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day in 1868, due to the occurrence of this popular tradition at many random graveyards through and since the Civil War.
While many locales argue that their town observed the first Decoration Day, the earliest documentation I’ve found is for Warrenton, Virginia, as published in The Richmond-Times Dispatch in 1907:
How many of our States claim the first memorial organization? What matters if there are no records to prove it? New Orleans claims it; George claims it; Portsmouth, Va; Richmond, Va, claim it. But the little village of Warrenton, Va, claims, and can prove it, the first Confederate Memorial Day. Killed in skirmish at Fairfax Courthouse, June 1, 1861, Captain John Quincy Marr, Warrenton Rifles, 17th Virginia Regiment, buried in the little village graveyard, June 3rd, with military honors; wept over by the old and young; flowers strewn on his grave, and the first Confederate Memorial Day was observed. After the first battle of Manassas, July 21, 1861, the dead and mortally wounded, numbering many, were brought to this same little village, and again memorial day was observed by the women and children. Was this, the women’s work, discontinued? No, organized; no, but the spontaneous outburst of the Rachels throughout the land weeping for her children and would not be comforted. The graves of these dead after the battle of Manassas were hastily marked on mere headboards. The living had to be cared for, and only a little band of women to do it. Women, tenderly raised and sheltered, went to the bedside of the wounded and with their own hands dressed the wounds, fed and cared for those men. There were no trained nurses, and only a very few doctors. When the spirit left the body they were buried in the same little graveyard, and the memorial work went on. The names on the boards being almost obliterated, a band of children, none of them over sixteen, determined to replace these boards. A kind carpenter offered to give the smooth plank and make into markers. My mother’s long black porch became the paint shop. One of the boys, now an artist, Mr. Richard N. Brooke, of Washington, cut out letters, which we traced on the white headboards, and repainted as we finished them at the graves, and the memorial work went on. We felt very proud of our work, but in the winter of sixty-three, I think, the Yankees made a raid through our town and camping near the graveyard, they burned the headboards to make their camp fires; but as soon as the spring flowers came, we placed the blossoms on these graves, and each year continued our memorial work. After the war the bones of these dead were placed in one common grave, and a beautiful monument erected, which bears this inscription: ‘Virginia’s Daughters to Virginia’s Defenders.’ And so, I claim for Warrenton, VA the first memorial day, dating it June 3, 1861, when we laid to rest the remains of Captain John Quincy Marr, killed by the invaders of our Southland, June 1st, Fairfax Courthouse, 1861.
TAPS
When we went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, we saw not only the changing of the guard, but for the first time ever we also saw a wreath laying ceremony and heard the playing of Taps, which was written during the Civil War at Berkely Plantation in Virginia.
I was in tears. Thank you to all who served. I am so very humbled and thankful to all who put themselves in harm’s way and died in service to our country.
Arlington National Cemetery will become our yearly means of honoring those who put themselves in harm’s way for our freedoms, like my mom’s cousin from WWII.
