Public Spark

Last Memorial Day weekend, we visited the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii. The USS Arizona is the final resting place for many of the ship’s 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives on December 7, 1941. When we arrived at the park, we were first led into an indoor theater to watch a video on the history of Pearl Harbor. Then the doors opened to the outdoor dock, where we rode a boat to the Memorial. We noticed the locations of where the other ships were once docked. Then we saw the 184 foot long white memorial structure, spanning what was once the mid-portion of the sunken battleship. I immediately recognized the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere. I was immersed into self-reflection, thinking of my ancestors and of all the lives that were lost in the Pearl Harbor attack. When you reach the shrine room, you see that the names of those killed on the Arizona are engraved on the marble wall. The place overflows with serenity.

Taking a look at the history of Memorial Day:
(Wikipedia,History Channel, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs)

Memorial Day commemorates the U.S. men and women who died in service of their country. Its official birthplace was declared by Congress and President Lyndon Johnson in 1966 to be Waterloo, New York. On May 5, 1968, General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic declared in General Order No. 11 that:

“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permits.”

It was first observed on May 30, 1868 as Decoration Day, a time for the nation to decorate the graves of of the war soldiers with flowers. It was held at the Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from Washington DC. Today many people celebrate this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. In addition to remembrance, it is also a time for picnics, family gatherings, and sporting events. I too will be getting together with my family.