Remembering their sacrifice ...

There’s a country song that sums it up: “All gave some. Some gave all.”
In the United States, the armed forces are an important part of our country and culture, and the contributions of those who serve or have served in the various branches of the military helped form our nation into what it is today. The United States is the land of the free because of the brave.
Throughout the year, there are opportunities and observances to honor and thank those who have served in the military in a variety of ways.
Memorial Day is a special day, however, reserved for honoring and remembering the sacrifices of those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Some sources indicate it was first celebrated on May 30, 1868, as Decoration Day, a day to honor Union soldiers who had died in the American Civil War. Others suggest it may have begun in the South or in other areas on earlier dates, but the practice of honoring fallen soldiers is clearly an important one, ensuring their sacrifices are not forgotten. Regardless of where fallen soldiers were laid to rest, their families and their country felt it was important to remember. All felt it important to grieve the loss of lives laid down as the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom and the ideals of their nation.

The observance quickly spread among the states and by 1890, each Northern state had made Decoration Day an official state holiday; Southern states continued to honor the dead on separate days.
After World Wars I and II, the observance became a day of remembrance for all those members of the U.S. military who had fought and died in service to their country.
While Decoration Day was apt, since fallen soldiers were being honored by the decorating of graves, especially with flags, the name “Memorial Day” was officially adopted by federal law in 1967. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, moving the observance from May 30 to the last Monday in May. The law took effect in 1971.
In Merrill, Memorial Day ceremonies took place at the Veterans Memorial at St. Francis Cemetery on Thielman St. The Merrill City Band, local veterans groups and dignitaries, auxilliary groups and scout troops, and government officials participated. The program included welcoming remarks, a prayer, the National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, wreath-laying, a bell ringing, and a keynote address by Brigadier General Timothy D. Covington.
Throughout the day, individuals, couples, and families also came to the Veterans Memorial and visited graves to pay their respects, to remember, to shed a few tears and mourn, and to honor their loved ones who served, especially, those who gave all.