b'By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 throughout the nation. State legislatures passed proclamations designating the day,and the Army and Navy adopted regulations for proper observance at their facilities.It was not until after World War I, however, that the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holidayby an act of Congress, though it is still often called Decoration Day. It was then also placed on the last Monday in May, as were some other federal holidays.Some States Have Confederate Observances Many Southern states also have their own days for honoring the Confederate dead. Mississippi celebrates Confederate Memorial Day on the last Monday of April, Alabama on the fourth Monday of April, and Georgia on April 26. North and South Carolina observe it on May 10, Louisiana on June 3 and Tennessee calls that date Confederate Decoration Day. Texas celebrates Confederate Heroes Day January 19 and Virginia calls the last Monday in May Confederate Memorial Day.Gen. Logans order for his posts to decorate graves in 1868U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraserwith the choicest flowers of springtime urged: We shouldAmerican Flags guard their graves with sacred vigilance. . Let pleasant pathsThe crowd attending the first Memorial Day ceremony at invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fondArlington National Cemetery was approximately the same mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to thesize as those that attend todays observance, about 5,000 present or to the coming generations that we have forgottenpeople. Then, as now, small American flags were placed on as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic. each gravea tradition followed at many national ceme-teries today. In recent years, the custom has grown in many families to decorate the graves of all departed loved ones.The origins of special services to honor those who die in war can be found in antiquity. The Athenian leader Pericles offered a tribute to the fallen heroes of the Peloponnesian War over 24 centuries ago that could be applied today tothe 1.1 million Americans who have died in the nationswars: Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorialof them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men.National Moment of RemembranceTo ensure the sacrifices of Americas fallen heroes are never forgotten, in December 2000, the U.S. Congress passed and the president signed into law The National Moment of Remembrance Act, P.L. 106-579, creating the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance. The com-missions charter is to encourage the people of the United States to give something back to their country, which provides them so much freedom and opportunity by encouraging and coordinating com-memorationsin the United States of Memorial Day and the National Moment of Remembrance.The National Moment of Remembranceencourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for aSoldiers from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) place U.S. flags at headstones as part of Flags-In at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. Within four hours, over 1,000 soldiers placeminute of silence to remember and honor those 245,000 flags in front of every headstone and Columbarium and niche wall column.(U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser / Arlington National Cemetery) who have died in service to our nation. Thank You For Your Service Military Appreciation Resource Magazine 15'