Significance of Memorial Day? This question is for the American UHH members. I know what the day itself signifies but I am curious as to why you commemorate this particular day when...

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

This question is for the American UHH members.

I know what the day itself signifies but I am curious as to why you commemorate this particular day when rest of the world holds November 11th for this purpose.

Why is your Memorial day held in May and which particular date is the significant one and why that date specifically?

traveler90712 Loc: Lake Worth, Fl.

http://www.usmemorialday.org/?page_id=2

Keldon Loc: Yukon, B.C.

traveler90712 wrote:

http://www.usmemorialday.org/?page_id=2

Thanks for the link. It answered all my questions.

blackhorse 1-7

Memorial Day is NOT Veterans Day. Memorial Day was created to honor American soldiers killed in battle during the Civil War. It continues to be the day set aside to honor those lost in military service. It is a purely American holiday. Veterans Day, always on November 11th, is the anniversary of the end of World War I, and is a day set aside to honor all who served in our armed forces.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Keldon wrote:

This question is for the American UHH members.

I know what the day itself signifies but I am curious as to why you commemorate this particular day when rest of the world holds November 11th for this purpose.

Why is your Memorial day held in May and which particular date is the significant one and why that date specifically?

November 11, called Remembrance Day in most countries historically associated with the UK marks the cessation of fighting in WWI on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. In the US this day was referred to Armistice Day until 1954 when it was renamed Veterans Day to reflect the service of our veterans of all wars. Memorial Day confuses the issue a bit because it was intended as a day of remembrance for those soldiers who died in the service of the United States, the key word being "died" which somewhat distinguishes it from Veterans Day. I can certainly see why it would be confusing. Most Americans generally view it as just a 3 day weekend kicking off the summer. The date itself has no significant historical importance as far as I know.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Keldon wrote:

This question is for the American UHH members.

I know what the day itself signifies but I am curious as to why you commemorate this particular day when rest of the world holds November 11th for this purpose.

Why is your Memorial day held in May and which particular date is the significant one and why that date specifically?

Different holidays for different purposes. What we now call Memorial Day began to honor the dead of the Civil War. We also have Veterans Day and Armed Forces Day.

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2017/05/whats_the_difference_in_memori.html

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

We have visited France and England often and remembrance (November 11) day is a big deal. On our recent 5 week visit to southern France every small town had a memorial listing those who died in WWI, WWII, those who were deported to the Nazi death camps and those who died in the resistance. The number who died in WW I was much greater than WWII. In towns of 800 we saw the same last name listed three our four times.

Every Memorial day I think of the child hood friends that died in Vietnam a war started by JFK, continued by LBJ and ended during Nixon tenure. Both my father and father in law served in WWII. My father in law saw and did stuff that haunted him for his whole life.

rcolmansr60

Nov 11 was my farther's birthday.
Dec 7, Pearl Harbor Day, was my mothers birthday
I never saw an argument during their 68 years of marriage.
Just say'n

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

I am sorry but JFK did not start vietnam, We were already there in 59 with advisors and this was before he got elected in 1960. The number of troops went from just a few hundred advisors in 59 to over 58000 by the time we pulled out in 1973.

blackhorse 1-7

The first US casualties in Vietnam occurred in July, 1959 while Eisenhower was President. JFK was elected four months after two American military advisors were killed. JFK sent special forces and other advisors to Vietnam during the early 1960's. It was the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, passed on August 7, 1964 that President Johnson began the real build-up of American forces in Vietnam. 2.1 million US forces served in Vietnam and over 58,000 were killed there. America's "combat role" ended in 1973 under President Nixon. The Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) fell too the communists in 1975.