By John F. Di Leo -
On Veterans’ Day, which had its birth in the Armistice Day that celebrated the end of World War I, we thank our servicemen, both current and retired, for their service. We phone our parents, siblings, children… our neighbors or friends… we see someone in uniform at the store, the mall, the airport or at church, and we say, “Thank you for your service.” Of course, we can do that every day, but Veterans’ Day is a special day when we try harder to remember to.
Memorial Day, now celebrated on the last Monday in May, is all of the above, and more. Born as Decoration Day after the Civil War, Memorial Day evolved to be the day to specifically celebrate our fallen heroes, those who made that ultimate sacrifice in service to their country during wartime.
On this day, we honor and thank the service of our militiamen, who stood tall at Lexington and Concord, facing experienced British troops with all the steadfast resolve of professionals. 49 patriots gave their lives that day, and many more were wounded, in the first true battle of the Revolutionary War.
