History of Memorial Day - Part 1
(Link supplied by Dan O'Brien 1/83rd)

The only Flag that doesn't fly
(Link supplied by Dennis Donati 1/83rd

History of Memorial Day - Part 2

and

History of Veterans Day - Part 2

A tribute video for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their service set to the song “Arlington” from country singer Trace Adkins. If you have never visited Arlington National Cemetery and have the chance to do so I encourage you to make the visit as it is a very powerful and moving experience. This song will hopefully cause everyone to pause and reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day. May those that have fallen in the fight for freedom Rest In Peace and may their families know that their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

(Link supplied by Mike Reetz 1/83rd)

Armistice Day (which overlaps with Remembrance Day and Veterans Day) is celebrated every year on 11 November to commemorate the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918.

Flag poems and patriotic verse
(Link supplied by Dennis Donati 1/83rd)

Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day or Armistice Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty.

Top 10 Flag Myths
(Courtesy American Legion)

5 Myths about the Flag
(Courtesy Washington Post)

Did Betsy Ross really make the first American flag?
(Courtesy HowStuffWorks)

The tradition of wearing a poppy dates back to 1920, when it became the memorial flower of The American Legion Family.

The red poppy came to symbolize the blood shed by those who fought and those who continue to fight for our country following World War I. It was popularized by the publication of the wartime poem In Flanders Fields. Written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, M.D. while serving on the front lines in World War I, the poem honors soldiers killed in battle.

The American Legion led the charge of having Congress designate the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day^®, a tradition found in many countries around the world. National Poppy Day^® encourages all Americans to wear a red poppy to honor the fallen and support the living heroes who have worn our nation’s uniform.

Poppy Day History

New laws expand when Veterans may salute. This article from the Feb-May 2016 issue of the Army Echoes Newsletter explains the proper conduct for military, veterans and civilians when:

a. The flag passes by.

b. When the national anthem is played

c. When the pledge of allegiance is recited.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Arlington Cemetery
(Courtesy of Bill Taggart 1/83rd)

November 11, 2021 was the 100^th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery, VA. Those of you who have witnessed the Changing of the Guard ceremony probably never forgot the reverence, respect and honor of this ceremony. Here is a link to a story on the Tomb

Here is a remarkable story (Ed. Note. this file is large) of how the first soldier was transported home from France to Arlington in 1921. This story was in the November 2021 edition of the American Legion Magazine. I found it very interesting and thought you might enjoy it as well.

As a side note, the ship that brought this soldier home was the USS Olympia, now dry-docked and on display at the lndependence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, the last of the U.S. Spanish-American War fleet still in existence. I have walked past this shop countless times over the years and while I did know that the Olympia was the Flagship of Admiral Dewey's, I was not aware of this duty that it once had. Here is a link that tells you more about this ship.

VA Burial Flag
How to obtain a flag for a Veterans Funeral