A successful Memorial Day commemoration ceremony held at the Winchester National Cemetery

Participating members of the Sons of the American Revolution from left to right: Chip Daniel, Clay Robinson, Dale Corey, Nathan Poe, Brett Osborn, Eric Robinson, Sean Carrigan, Marc Robinson and Paul Christensen.

On May 22, 2020, the National Cemetery in Winchester held a commemoration ceremony for Memorial Day. Participants included the Colonel James Wood II Chapter Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution, the American Red Cross, VFW Chapter 2123, the Northern Shenandoah Valley Community Veterans Engageme Board, and Heroes on the River. The ceremony was held to honor Americans who died in the military service of their country. There were brief remarks, a moment of silence, the playing of taps and presentation of wreaths.

The history of Memorial Day is complex. The decoration of graves began during the Civil War. The first fallen soldier so honored was John Quincy Marr, the first soldier killed in action in the Civil War. He died June 1, 1861, at the Battle of Fairfax Courthouse. He was laid to rest in Warrenton, Virginia, on June 3.

Throughout the war and during the aftermath, graves were decorated at various locations. On May 5, 1868, General John Logan issued a proclamation calling for Decoration Day to be observed nationwide every year. He was the commander-in-chief of the Grand Old Army, an organization founded of and for Union Civil War Veterans in Decatur, Illinois. May 30 was the date selected for the decoration of Civil War graves. In 1868, ceremonies were held in 183 cemeteries in 27 states. In 1871, Michigan declared Decoration Day to be a state holiday, and by 1890, all the northern states had decreed Decoration Day a state holiday. After the end of World War I, the day had been expanded from recognition of Civil War Veterans only to honor all of our military who died in the service of the country.

Wreaths presented at the commemoration ceremony. Pictured from left to right are Ashley Moslak, Marc Robinson, Adam Packham and Ralph Hensley.

The term Memorial Day was first used in 1882 and gradually became more common. In 1967, Congress passed a law declaring the official name to be Memorial Day. The following year, they passed the Uniform Holiday Act which moved four holidays to Monday, creating a three day weekend for those celebrations. Memorial Day was to be the last Monday in May, and the law took effect in 1971.