MEMORIAL DAY: REMEMBER THOSE WHO PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

BY SUZIE WELLS

Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor the brave menandwomenwhoservedintheUSmilitarytoprotect our freedoms but who lost their lives in that service. Memorial Day serves as a solemn reminder of the sacri ces our servicemembers make each day.

Communities converge with school and local bands, honor guards, dignitaries, service groups, and other citizens and community organizations to celebrate and honor the fallen. But why do we celebrate as we do?

Memorial Day’s origins trace back to the years following the American Civil War, with its birthplace o cially designated as Waterloo, NY. e Seneca County town of 5,000, centrally located between Rochester, Syracuse, and Ithaca, became known for its role in the Women’s Rights movement because a lot of the planning for the famous 1848 Seneca Falls convention occurred in Waterloo at the Hunt and M’Clintock houses. However, in 1866, Waterloo held the nation’s rst formal remembrance of veterans who died in the Civil War, and the US government recognizes the town as the o cial birthplace of Memorial Day.

According to Waterloo history, in 1865, Henry C. Welles “watched as a lone widow walked to the cemetery to place owers on the grave of her deceased Civil War soldier husband. How soon they forget, Welles thought, resolving to do something to make sure that those who gave their lives in defense of their country would not be forgotten.” Welles suggested placing owers on the graves of the “patriotic dead” from the Civil War, but nothing happened that rst year.

When Welles mentioned it the following year to General John B. Murray, a patriotic Civil War hero, the two began plans for a local citizens’ committee to celebrate the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacri ce for their country (waterloony.com).

On May 5, 1866, with ags half-sta , the Village of Waterloo was “draped with evergreen and mourning black,” and a parade of veterans, civic groups, and residents marched to the three village cemeteries, where ceremonies celebrated soldiers whose graves were then decorated. So began the annual tradition of recognizing soldiers who served and died for the US.

In 1868, General John A. Logan, a “political general” in the Union Army, declared the rst national Decoration Day, May 30th, time to decorate the graves of the fallen and honor their sacri ces through ceremonies.AccordingtotheUnitedServiceOrganizations(USO), on May 20, 1868, more than 5,000 people decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

In May 1966, the State of New York o cially declared Waterloo, NY as the birthplace of Memorial Day, celebrating the centennial of the patriotic tradition. In 1971, the US Congress declared the federal holiday of Memorial Day to be celebrated on the last Monday each May.

Communities across the area and nation celebrate Memorial Day, coming together for parades and traditions. Waterloo retains its historic traditions, hosting a special Celebrate Commemorate Memorial Day event the weekend of May 26-28th. is event hosts Civil War reenactors from across the Eastern US, including infantry, signal corps, artillery, and fraternal organizations. Encampments with reenactors present Living Histories of Civil War camp life. Reenactors serve as dignitaries, President Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Dr. Mary Walker, and spy Belly Boyd, a Northern sympathizer, and Reverend Scott.

Saturday, May 27th features a parade with wounded warriors from the Canandaigua VA Hospital, motorcycle riders from the Patriot Guard and American Legion, as well as bands, oats, and military groups.

On May 30th, which Waterloo always observes as Memorial DayinkeepingwithLogan’sOrders,childrenwilldecorateveterans’ graves,therewillbeprayerservicesinthevillagecemeteries,andthe village’s VFW and American Legion will conduct a military parade at 4 pm. Ceremonies in Lafayette Park will feature government o cials and special dignitaries.

Memorial Day 2023 marks Waterloo’s 157th consecutive Memorial Day observance. Last year’s commemoration included the dedication of the Purple Heart Wall of Honor in Lafayette Park. is Memorial Day, check out Waterloo’s Celebrate Commemorate event and/or pay respects in your own town. Henrietta hosts theirs 5/21, Brockport and East Rochester’s is 5/27, Irondequoit and Newark celebrate 5/28, and most other towns and villages in the Rochester area hold parades and remembrance ceremonieson5/29.Checkyourlocaltown/villageforinformation. ank you to all who served and paid the ultimate price. May we all remember and appreciate your sacri ces.

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Our respect and gratitude will forever be with our fallen military heroes and their families. Their service and sacrifice are beyond measure. We will never forget their dedication to our country and our freedom.

To all the brave men and women who serve in uniform today, we thank you.