Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published May 26, 2004

A pause for Memorial Day

We remember veterans every day

We pause to remember those
who fought and died

With so much courage, so much
pride.

They'll never come back; yet
memories endure

To remind us of freedom: fragile,
pure.

We're worthy of the sacrifice if
we pause each day

Not just the last Monday in
May.

In the early evening of the Thursday before the Memorial Day weekend at least 1,000 soldiers assemble at Arlington National Cemetery.

Clothed in green fatigues they each carry a backpack filled with small American flags. They are following an annual tradition that began in 1868, four years after the cemetery was established on Robert E. Lee's family property.

Memorial Day weekend is the only time these graves may be decorated. The long lines of white grave markers are in tribute to those who died serving their country from the Revolutionary War to the War Against Terrorists.

The Army calls this reverent act of placing a flag at each grave 'flags in' and it is done with great precision. Each soldier is assigned a row and at each marker the soldier presses the boot heel against the headstone and then pushes the small flag into the ground at exactly the point of the toe. Because one soldier has done the same row the flags line up perfectly. On Tuesday at 4:45 a.m. the flags are removed for another year.

1886 marked the first observance of a day to remember the Civil War dead and was known as Decoration Day because flowers were laid at the graves.

That one-day observance continued until 1971 when President Nixon proclaimed it Memorial Day and a national holiday. Then Congress passed an act expanding the holiday to a full weekend and changing the date from May 30 to the Monday before the 30th.

Observance or celebration? In May 1996 Carmella LaSpada met with a group of school children on the mall in Washington and when she asked what Memorial Day meant to them their responses were proof they had no idea what it was all about. She said, "That's when I figured we'd better show them why they are free and who paid for their freedom."

She was a woman of action and by the following year she had founded an organization, No Greater Love, dedicated to sponsoring annual remembrances of people who died in service to their country or through an act of terrorism.

On Memorial Day 1997 at 3 p.m. a 60-second National Moment of Remembrance was observed by the playing of "Taps" across the nation in airports and malls. All Amtrak trains blew their whistles for one minute in salute.

Shortly after that Congress established the White House Commission on Remembrance and named LaSpada executive director and White House liaison. Their purpose is "One Nation, One Moment."

In 2003 a song written especially for that moment was played at every Major League Baseball park at 3 p.m. in each time zone. It was played on the Armed Forces radio network, at the Liberty Bell, in veteran's hospitals, shopping malls, airports and military installations.

The composer of "On This Day," Charles Strouse, is well known for his many Broadway hit musicals, Bye Bye Birdie, Annie and Applause were all awarded the Tony. He explained he was approached about writing a song during a White House visit. Strouse said, "I happen to be very patriotic. It was such an honor to be asked to this." He added, "I have such a deep, deep feeling of pride. I want my children to know how I feel about this country, about how much it has done for me."

On this day for one brief
moment hear the silence fill
the air.

Think of those who walked
beside us, now no longer
there.

Then, don't cry, but hear their
laughter, for their spirits live
inside.

Let the mystic stream of mem'ry
fill our hearts with pride!
· · ·
Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.

· · ·
Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.