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First established as Decoration Day to observe the sacrifices of those who fought in the Civil War, Memorial Day has become a national holiday to commemorate all men and women who have served in the American military. While there are many ways to celebrate our heroes in the Commonwealth, here are a few things to do this Memorial Day, May 26:
- Explore the Veterans History Project online. This program collects and preserves firsthand interviews with America’s veterans from World War I onward. You can even participate in the project by conducting your own interviews with veterans and hosting community events to gather veterans’ stories.
- Pay homage to those who fought in Vietnam at Green Hill Park’s beautiful four-acre Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Worcester.
- Go to South Boston’s Fort Independence, North America’s oldest continuously fortified fort, for a free guided tour of the Castle Island stronghold.
- Visit a veteran’s cemetery in Massachusetts to honor a veteran with the Memorial Day tradition of leaving red poppies at a gravesite.
- Spend the day at a Blue Star Museum in your area. These museums offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
- If you don’t normally display the American flag at home, consider doing so for the holiday. Remember to fly the flag at half-staff from sunrise until noon, and to fold it properly before storing it.
- Find local ceremonies, parades, and events for a full Memorial Day this year.
Memorial Day is a time to honor those who have served and sacrificed for our nation. It is also a time to celebrate the successes that came from those sacrifices. However you plan to celebrate Memorial Day, consider observing the National Moment of Remembrance with one minute of silence at 3 p.m.
How are you planning to spend your Memorial Day? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us, @MassGov.
Tags: activities, Boston, children, family, History, Memorial Day, Memorial Day activities, remembrance, veterans
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I will observe Memorial Day by participating in the various events that my Salem, MA veterans' organizations are involved in: laying a wreath in the veterans' section of St. Mary's Cemetery, attending a special mass at St. John the Baptist church, then a ceremony at Winter Island where a wreath will be thrown into the bay commemorating naval war dead, all on Sunday. Then on Monday we have a parade and another wreath laying ceremony at the veterans' section of Greenlawn Cemetery.
These solemn events bring together the veterans' communities to honor all men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It is with great pride that I honor their memory by participating in these ceremonies.