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Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
What's the history behind Memorial Day? Why Americans observe the federal holiday
Grilling some burgers and having a brew on Memorial Day is cool, but do you know the history of this holiday? While you're enjoying the day off, take some time to understand why today is a holiday. Memorial Day is observed annually on the last Monday of May. This year, it falls on May 26. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, began after the American Civil War as a way to honor fallen soldiers. According to the National Cemetery Administration, the first national observance took place on May 30, 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic called for a day to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers with flowers. Over time, the holiday expanded to commemorate all American military personnel who died in service. In 1971, Congress officially established Memorial Day as a federal holiday, moving its observance to the last Monday in May to create a three-day weekend. Today, Americans honor the day with parades, ceremonies, and moments of remembrance. Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the U.S. It was officially recognized by Congress in 1971 and is observed on the last Monday in May each year. As a federal holiday, government offices, banks, and many businesses close in observance. Americans can use this time to honor military personnel who died in service. According to AAA, 3.7 million Texans will travel over the Memorial Day holiday period between Thursday, May 22 and Monday, May 26, a 3% increase from 2024. This is the third straight year of record-breaking travel for this holiday statewide. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What is the origin of Memorial Day? See why the holiday is observed
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Memorial Day 2025: What's open and what's closed on May 26
Memorial Day, a federal holiday held the last Monday in May, is recognized this year on Monday, May 26. Most local and federal government offices are closed but many retail stores are open. Memorial Day was originally known as 'Decoration Day,' and originated in the years following the Civil War, according to It became an official federal holiday in 1971, when Richard Nixon was president. Unlike other holidays that serve as a celebration, Memorial Day is intended to mourn and honor those who died while serving in the United States' military through the years, according to the National Cemetery Administration. The official proclamation calls on Americans 'to observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their individual religious faith, for permanent peace; designating a period of time on Memorial Day during which the people may unite in prayer for a permanent peace; calling on the people of the United States to unite in prayer at that time; and calling on the media to join in observing Memorial Day and the period of prayer.' Many observe the day by attending local parades or visiting cemeteries and memorials. Some Massachusetts communities are offering a fireworks display. Read more: Here's where to see fireworks this weekend in Massachusetts 'Some people wear a red poppy in remembrance of those fallen in war — a tradition that began with a World War I poem," according to Memorial Day also unofficially marks the beginning of summer, although the weather forecast for this year's holiday leans more spring than summer. Summer officially starts June 20, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. Bun Bo Hue (hot and spicy lemongrass) beef at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Sriracha is one of the preferred toppings to add to pho at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Bean sprouts, lime slices, jalapeño, culantro and basil are typical ingredients mixed into pho at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. has an extensive menu of boba and milk teas. Left to right - Pho Ga (chicken pho), Pho Tai (beef pho) and Bun Bo Hue (hot and spicy lemongrass) soup with beef at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Vinh Chau is located at 409 Dickinson St Springfield, Mass. near the X. Com Ga Nuong (grilled chicken) thigh with rice plate at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Goi Cuon (fresh spring rolls with shrimp and pork) with peanut sauce and Nuoc Cham a tangy dipping sauce at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Fresh spring rolls with shrimp and pork filling with peanut sauce at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Pho Ga (chicken pho) at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Brown sugar milk tea with tapioca pearls and a Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk from Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Grilled chicken thigh with rice and salad at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Vinh Chau has been a staple of Springfield, Mass. for over 20 years. Pho Tai Bo Vien (pho with rare steak, meat balls and rice noodles) from Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Bean sprouts, lime slices, jalapeño, culantro and basil are typical ingredients mixed into pho at Vinh Chau in Springfield, Mass. Federal and state courts: Closed Federal offices: Closed State offices: Closed Municipal offices: Closed Registry of Motor Vehicles: Closed Libraries: Closed Public schools: Closed The New York Stock Exchange and the Dow Jones: Closed Banks: Most bank branches will be closed, but please check with your local bank. Liquor stores: Open Cannabis dispensaries: Massachusetts regulators don't identify specific holidays when cannabis dispensaries must close, according to the Cannabis Control Commission, so the decision to open Monday is up to the store. Retail stores: Most retail stores will be open, but please check with your local retailer. Stop & Shop: Open Auburn Mall: Open Holyoke Mall: Open Hampshire Mall: Open Natick Mall: Open Big Y: Open Market Basket: Open Price Rite: Open Star Market: Open Walmart: Open Target: Open Wegmans: Open, but pharmacy is closed Costco: Closed CVS: Open, although check your store for specific holiday hours. Walgreens: Open Aldi: Open, although check your store for specific holiday hours. Whole Foods: Open, although check your store for specific holiday hours. Trader Joe's: Open U.S. Post offices: Closed FedEx: Closed UPS: No pickup or delivery service and stores may be closed, but the UPS website encourages customers to check your local store for information. MBTA: The subway and buses will run on a Sunday schedule. The RIDE will run on a Saturday schedule and the commuter rail will run on a weekend schedule, the agency wrote on its website. No ferry service Hingham to Boston. Hingham/Hull/Logan to Boston will run on a Sunday schedule. The following ferries will run on a weekend schedule: East Boston, Charlestown, Lynn, Winthrop and Quincy. The Charlie Service Center is closed. Worcester RTA: There is no service on Memorial Day, according to Merrimack Valley RTA: There will be no bus or van service on May 26, according to MetroWest RTA: There will be no fixed route or Dial-a-ride on Memorial Day. The Catch Connect service is on a modified schedule: Wellesley, Framingham and Natick, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., according to Lowell RTA: There will be no fixed bus route and road runner ADA paratransit service, reported. Mass. Rep. Trahan's 'Les Miz' moment on Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' | Bay State Briefing What it's like living in luxury apartments overlooking Polar Park in Worcester Dear Annie: Remember the true meaning of Memorial Day Dear Abby: How do I deal with my sucker of a husband who can't manage his money? Asking Eric: Can I ban smoking at my backyard party? Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
One person revived the Memorial Day flags tradition at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Here's why.
A few days before Memorial Day, Joanne Malmstedt sat at a folding table in a parking lot at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, surrounded by trucks and supplies and volunteers, studying several maps in front of her like the leader of a military campaign. In a way, she is the leader of a military campaign — or, one that honors veterans with military-like precision. It was on Thursday that Malmstedt, the founder and president of Flags for Fort Snelling, was mapping out the waves of volunteers who come to the national cemetery every May to place U.S. flags on every grave for Memorial Day. This year, those volunteers will total approximately 3,700 to 4,700 people, all working to place (and, later, to remove) more than 190,000 flags at the graves over the span of several days. For Malmstedt, the campaign — now in its 10th year — goes beyond a personal gesture of remembrance for the veterans in her own family, her father and her great grandfather, who are buried here. 'These men and women sacrificed so much,' says Malmstedt, 44, of Blaine. 'I really want to make sure that sacrifice is not forgotten.' While the nonprofit honors all who served our country — expanding the day of remembrance beyond those who died while serving — the origin of what we now call Memorial Day was meant to honor those who died in the Civil War. Fort Snelling National Cemetery, located near the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport International Airport on 34th Avenue, is the only national cemetery in Minnesota, a place to honor veterans (and their eligible family members) under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration. Minnesota's national cemetery was formally dedicated almost 86 years ago, on July 14, 1939, according to the cemetery's website. Days before that dedication, on July 5, the first veteran was laid to rest there: His name is George H. Mallon, a Medal of Honor recipient who served as a captain in the U.S. Army during World War I. After his courage leading his men in battle in France in 1918, he was included in an American general's list of 100 heroes of World War I. He returned home later, where he was active in Minnesota politics. He died at age 57. Mallon's grave is located near a large plaque displaying the Memorial Day Order of 1868, situated in a prominent spot near the cemetery's main entrance. In Order No. 11, John Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic — a veterans' organization — declared that a day in May should be dedicated to 'decorating' the graves of the Civil War fallen. '100 deadliest days' on roads kick off Memorial Day weekend Alternatives to defunding: Who goes to help when police aren't needed? 'Defund the Police,' five years later: What did the movement accomplish? Apple Valley park's $16M renovation to feature inclusive playground, new pool Memorial Day events in the Twin Cities metro area this weekend This day, the order commanded, should be '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 every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit … ' … Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor …' Later on, Decoration Day became known as Memorial Day, a federal holiday observed on the last Monday in May, 'an annual day of remembrance,' according to the National Archives, 'to honor all those who have died in service to the United States during peace and war.' It was a decade ago, as Memorial Day 2015 approached, when a phone call to Fort Snelling National Cemetery led Malmstedt to be the change she wished to see in the world. 'I had called the cemetery to ask, 'How do we volunteer to help put flags out?'' she recalls. 'My kids were little at the time and I wanted to show them, 'This is who Memorial Day is for' because they weren't understanding the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day.' (Veterans Day, a federal holiday in November, honors military veterans.) However, what she learned from that call surprised her. 'The person I talked to said, 'We don't do that anymore,'' she says. That didn't stop Malmstedt. 'I went on social media and was like, 'I can't believe the cemetery doesn't do this — I'm still going out there so my kids can see what it's for, if anybody wants to join me,'' she recalls. 'And so I had about 12 friends and their kids come and help put out 3,700 of the tiny stick flags.' Local news media, on site for Memorial Day, noticed the group at work. 'They asked us, 'What are you guys doing?'' Malmstedt says. 'We told them we were putting out flags and they asked, 'Whose idea was this?' One of my friends pointed to me and they came over and did the interview. The response we got from it was the same as mine: Nobody knew it wasn't done. And then, a few days later, I got a call from the director of the cemetery, who asked for a meeting. I initially thought I was in trouble.' She wasn't. 'He thanked me immensely for what we did, because it brought to light the fact that it wasn't done anymore,' she says. She left the meeting feeling determined to revive the 'decorating' tradition. 'That's when I said, 'I'm doing this, I'm going to make this happen,'' she said. 'I laugh looking back, because at the time as a single mom of three little kids, I had no business taking this on. But now, this is our 10-year anniversary this year. Looking back, it's like, 'Wow.' We've been making it happen and I really want to make sure we continue to make it happen.' The people who work at Fort Snelling National Cemetery appreciate it. 'We all owe a debt of gratitude to Joanne Malmstedt and her team for volunteering to serve a greater good, while educating future generations on the importance of service and sacrifice,' said Marshall Murphy, deputy director of Fort Snelling National Cemetery, in a statement to the Pioneer Press. 'Fort Snelling National Cemetery has a rich history of honoring veterans on Memorial Day — including placing flags at every grave,' Murphy said. 'Over time, the ever-increasing volume of work at the cemetery outpaced the cemetery staff's ability to coordinate volunteers to assist with the transport, placement, retrieval, repair and storage of the flags each year. In 2015, Joanne saw an opportunity to serve veterans, her community and her country, and volunteered to lead this project. 'As the fifth busiest national cemetery coordinating 5,000+ interments per year and managing 193,000 existing gravesites, Fort Snelling National Cemetery is extremely grateful for support from volunteers like Joanne.' Malmstedt hopes her story inspires others to do what her nonprofit has done. 'I would love to see other groups, other people, piggyback off this and be like, 'Hey, you know what? We're going to start doing this at other cemeteries,'' she says. 'It would be nice if all those that are laid to rest are able to be honored and remembered, too.' Malmstedt, who also works as a mechanical adjuster for Federal Ammunition and owns a cleaning company, A Patriots Clean, says it requires a group effort to make Flags for Fort Snelling's annual operation come together, from labor to donations. On Thursday, volunteers were working in a parking lot at the cemetery, water sealing the wooden staffs of the flags to prevent mold growth. They worked quickly, dipping flag bundles into buckets of clear wood sealer before placing the flags on tarps to dry in the sun. It was volunteer work they said they felt privileged to do. 'We have multiple family members buried here,' said volunteer Tina Friedel of Osceola, Wis. 'It's just a little way to give something back.' Nearby, Jill Cooper and her partner, Barry Gustafson, were breaking down boxes and doing other tasks needed on this preparation day. The Minneapolis couple serves in the core group every year, directing and helping other volunteers in this regimented operation. 'We don't want to spend our Memorial Day drinking at a picnic,' Cooper says. 'We want to spend our weekend here, doing something to give back. 'I know a lot of these vets did not pass away in war,' Cooper says, 'but they still served, and they deserve all this respect.' A few days earlier, as part of a fundraising effort, Malmstedt spoke to the cadets of St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights about the nonprofit behind the flags. It has grown since that phone call to the cemetery: Now, Malmstedt's nonprofit has a co-leader, MacKenzie Anderson, a board of directors and other individuals and companies who help provide storage space, T-shirts, labor and more. 'We are a small, volunteer-based nonprofit,' she told the cadets. 'Myself, my partner and my other board members, all of us are volunteers. We put in hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of unpaid hours toward this mission every single year … ' … Now, 10 years later, it seems like it's a well-oiled machine, but it takes a lot of work to get there,' she said. 'The first year that we did this as a nonprofit, we were able to raise funds to place 10,000 flags … it was overwhelming that year, just to see 10,000 flags. However, now in our 10th year, we will be close to placing 195,000 flags. 'Not only do we place those flags Memorial Day weekend, but they are able to stay out and be visible and be out for honoring and remembering all week during that Memorial week; we also have to go back out and pick up all flags so we can store them and reuse them for years to come. 'With that being said, the cemetery does grow on average of 5,300 people every single year for interments. With those growing costs, so do our costs for flags and all of the other operational needs to be able to make this happen every single year. The only way that we make this happen and continue to honor and remember all those laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery is through the generosity of the donations that we receive and the volunteers that come and help us.' As she spoke, one young man in particular was impressed: her son. U of M researchers are planting 'survivor' trees in hopes of defeating Dutch elm disease Judicial cookout for the homeless renamed for late founder Jim Randall In 17th year, Rick's Bike Sale surpasses $600K in donations for Dakota County nonprofits Climate action group schedules first Ward 4 candidate forum for Tuesday CommonBond Communities to outsource, layoff 117 from St. Paul headquarters 'Just the sheer will that she has to tackle something like this is inspiring to me,' says Logan Ogroske, an 18-year-old college student who accompanied his mother to St. Thomas Academy. 'It gives me inspiration that I can tackle things, too.' Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kim Friede, a military leadership instructor at St. Thomas Academy, is also inspired — especially with the visual impact that illustrates the ripple effect of one person's decision to step up. 'If you've ever passed Fort Snelling National Cemetery during the Memorial Day weekend, then you know the emotional experience that is created by a virtual sea of U.S. flags placed on each and every gravesite,' Friede told the cadets. 'It simply takes your breath away.' The cadets donated more than $2,000 to the nonprofit. Some signed up to volunteer, too. Flags for Fort Snelling founder and president Joanne Malmstedt at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Flags for Fort Snelling founder and president Joanne Malmstedt at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Malmstedt, of Blaine, started the nonprofit in 2015 as a way to honor the veterans in her family and teach her children the purpose of Memorial Day. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Flags for Fort Snelling founder and president Joanne Malmstedt gives instructions to volunteers before they place flags next to headstones at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Flags for Fort Snelling volunteer Gabrielle Wojdyla-Just of Minneapolis helps her dad, Ryan Just, place flags next to headstones at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Gabrielle's mom is currently stationed overseas with the United States Navy. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) 'This is really grounding and important to experience this,' said Flags for Fort Snelling volunteer Ranee Johnson, right, as she,( r-l) her daughter Makena, 16, husband Michael, and Kyler, 14, place flags next to headstones at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. This was the second year the Rosemount family spent the Saturday morning of Memorial Day weekend volunteering for Flags for Fort Snelling to honor relatives at the cemetery. Joanne Malmstedt of Blaine started the nonprofit in 2015 as a way to honor the veterans in her family and teach her children the purpose of Memorial Day. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) 'This is really grounding and important to experience this,' said Flag for Fort Snelling volunteer Ranee Johnson, right, as she and her daughter Makena, 16, place flags next to headstones at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. This was the second year the Rosemount family spent the Saturday morning of Memorial Day weekend volunteering for Flags for Fort Snelling to honor relatives at the cemetery. Joanne Malmstedt of Blaine started the nonprofit in 2015 as a way to honor the veterans in her family and teach her children the purpose of Memorial Day. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Flags for Fort Snelling volunteers Gail and Rich Thiel of Stockbridge, Wis., place flags at headstones at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Joanne Malmstedt of Blaine started the nonprofit in 2015 as a way to honor the veterans in her family and teach her children the purpose of Memorial Day. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Volunteers with Flags for Fort Snelling helped place close to 195,000 flags at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Joanne Malmstedt of Blaine started the nonprofit in 2015 as a way to honor the veterans in her family and teach her children the purpose of Memorial Day. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Volunteers with Flags for Fort Snelling will place close to 195,000 flags at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Joanne Malmstedt of Blaine started the nonprofit in 2015 as a way to honor the veterans in her family and teach her children the purpose of Memorial Day. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Show Caption1 of 10Volunteers with Flags for Fort Snelling placed some of the more than 190,000 flags at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Joanne Malmstedt of Blaine started the nonprofit in 2015 as a way to honor the veterans in her family and teach her children the purpose of Memorial Day. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)Expand After the Memorial Day observation, Flags for Fort Snelling is seeking volunteers to collect flags for return to storage on May 31 (and potentially continuing the work on June 1). To register, donate or learn more, visit Other volunteering opportunities: If you or your organization are interested in volunteering at a VA national cemetery near you, visit
Newsweek
21-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
VA Memorial Day Ceremonies: List in Full
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Americans will have the opportunity to honor military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice at more than 130 Memorial Day public ceremonies hosted by The Department of Veterans Affairs at VA National cemeteries across the U.S. between May 23-26, 2025. All 156 VA National Cemeteries and 35 soldiers' lots will be open for commemorations, and events are expected to draw around 100,000 attendees nationwide, said the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Why It Matters These Memorial Day ceremonies allow people across the country to participate locally in tributes to fallen service members, reinforcing national gratitude and remembrance. The ceremonies come as the VA launches major updates to benefits systems and health care access, broadening support and modernization for veterans and their survivors. This year's events offer an opportunity to connect with the VA's ongoing reforms while participating in commemorative traditions. File photo: graves with flags for Memorial Day are seen in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, in 2024. File photo: graves with flags for Memorial Day are seen in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, in 2024. Jacquelyn Martin/AP What To Know The VA's National Cemetery Administration maintains the complete, continually-updated roster of all scheduled Memorial Day ceremonies—by cemetery, state, and date—on its official event Memorial Day 2025 - National Cemetery Administration. This site provides exact addresses, ceremony times, contact details, and updates for participating locations nationwide. Here is the full list of events scheduled to date: Alabama Alabama National Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. Fort McClellan Post Cemetery 5/26, 10:30 a.m. Fort Mitchell National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Mobile National Cemetery 5/26, 8:30 a.m. Alaska Fort Richardson National Cemetery 5/26, noon. Arizona National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona 5/26, 8 a.m. Prescott National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Arkansas Fayetteville National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Fort Smith National Cemetery 5/25, 2 p.m. Little Rock National Cemetery 5/24, 8 a.m. California Bakersfield National Cemetery 5/24, 9 a.m. Benicia Arsenal Post Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Golden Gate National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Los Angeles National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Mare Island Naval Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. Miramar National Cemetery 5/25, 1 p.m. Riverside National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Sacramento Valley National Cemetery 5/24, 9 a.m. San Francisco National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery 5/25, 9 a.m. Colorado Fort Logan National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Fort Lyon National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Pikes Peak National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Florida Barrancas National Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. Bay Pines National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Cape Canaveral National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Florida National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Jacksonville National Cemetery 5/24, 9:30 a.m. Sarasota National Cemetery 5/24, 10 a.m. South Florida National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. St. Augustine National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Tallahassee National Cemetery 5/24, 1 p.m. Georgia Georgia National Cemetery 5/24, 10 a.m. Marietta National Cemetery 5/26, noon. Hawaii National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific 5/26, 8:30 a.m. Idaho Snake River Canyon National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Illinois Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery 5/26, 11:30 a.m. Alton National Cemetery 5/26, 6 p.m. Camp Butler National Cemetery 5/26, 2 p.m. Danville National Cemetery, IL 5/26, 11 a.m. Fort Sheridan National Cemetery 5/25, 1 p.m. Mound City National Cemetery 5/24, 10 a.m. Rock Island National Cemetery 5/26, 10:45 a.m. Indiana Crown Hill Columbarium Annex 5/26, 11 a.m. Marion National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. New Albany National Cemetery 5/26, 1 p.m. Iowa Keokuk National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Kansas Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery 5/26, 11:40 a.m. Fort Scott National Cemetery 5/26, 10:30 a.m. Leavenworth National Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. Kentucky Camp Nelson National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Cave Hill National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Lebanon National Cemetery 5/25, 2 p.m. Lexington National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Mill Springs National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Zachary Taylor National Cemetery 5/26, 2 p.m. Louisiana Alexandria National Cemetery, LA 5/26, 9 a.m. Louisiana National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Maine Acadia National Cemetery 5/24, 1 p.m. Maryland Annapolis National Cemetery 5/23, 5 p.m. Baltimore National Cemetery 5/30, 11 a.m. Loudon Park National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Massachusetts Fort Devens Post Cemetery 5/23, 10 a.m. Massachusetts National Cemetery 5/25, 1 p.m. Michigan Fort Custer National Cemetery 5/25, 2 p.m. Great Lakes National Cemetery 5/25, 1 p.m. Minnesota Fort Snelling National Cemetery 5/26, 9:45 a.m. Mississippi Biloxi National Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. Corinth National Cemetery 5/26, 2 p.m. Natchez National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Missouri Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Springfield National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Montana Yellowstone National Cemetery 5/26, noon. Nebraska Fort McPherson National Cemetery 5/26, 2 p.m. Omaha National Cemetery 5/26, 11:30 a.m. New Jersey Beverly National Cemetery 5/26, 1 p.m. New Mexico Fort Bayard National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Santa Fe National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. New York Bath National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Calverton National Cemetery 5/26, 1 p.m. Cypress Hills National Cemetery 5/25, 11 a.m. Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery 5/24, 11 a.m. Long Island National Cemetery 5/25, 2 p.m. Western New York National Cemetery 5/25, 2 p.m. Woodlawn National Cemetery 5/26, noon. North Carolina New Bern National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Salisbury National Cemetery Annex 5/26, 11 a.m. Wilmington National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. North Dakota Fargo National Cemetery 5/26, 3 p.m. Ohio Dayton National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery 5/25, 2 p.m. Oklahoma Fort Gibson National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Fort Sill National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Oregon Eagle Point National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Fort Stevens National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Roseburg National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Willamette National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Pennsylvania Indiantown Gap National Cemetery 5/25, 2 p.m. National Cemetery of the Alleghenies 5/25, 11 a.m. Philadelphia National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Washington Crossing National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Puerto Rico Morovis National Cemetery 5/24, 9 a.m. Puerto Rico National Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. South Carolina Beaufort National Cemetery 5/26, noon. Florence National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Fort Jackson National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. South Dakota Black Hills National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Tennessee Chattanooga National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Knoxville National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Memphis National Cemetery 5/25, 2 p.m. Mountain Home National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Nashville National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Texas Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Fort Bliss National Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery 5/26, 9:30 a.m. Houston National Cemetery 5/26, 9 a.m. Virginia Alexandria National Cemetery, VA 5/26, 11 a.m. Cold Harbor National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Culpeper National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Danville National Cemetery, VA 5/25, 2:30 p.m. Hampton National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico 5/26, 11 a.m. Seven Pines National Cemetery 5/26, noon. Winchester National Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Washington Fort Lawton Post Cemetery 5/26, 11 a.m. Fort Worden Post Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. Tahoma National Cemetery 5/26, 1 p.m. Vancouver Barracks National Cemetery 5/26, 10 a.m. West Virginia Grafton National Cemetery 5/26, noon. West Virginia National Cemetery 5/25, 1 p.m. Wisconsin Northwoods National Cemetery 5/26, 2:30 p.m. Wood National Cemetery 5/26, 9:25 a.m. Wyoming Cheyenne National Cemetery 5/26, 1 p.m. Readers and attendees are advised to confirm timings and locations on the VA website, as event specifics may change. Information is being updated up to Memorial Day, and attendees should confirm times and addresses as event details may change, so be sure to check this list. Individuals unable to attend in person may honor veterans online by submitting tributes and stories at the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) website, which posts memorial pages for over 10 million veterans. Livestreams, photos, and videos from ceremonies will appear on the National Cemetery Administration's Facebook and X (Twitter) accounts. What People Are Saying VA Secretary Doug Collins said: "Every day throughout the year, VA plays a vital role in remembering and honoring the brave service members who gave their lives in defense of the freedoms America holds dear. This Memorial Day weekend, we invite Americans to visit VA cemeteries and join us in reflecting upon the important legacies of these fallen heroes." What Happens Next Regular updates and related veteran benefits news can be found on the VA's website and communications outlets. Be sure to confirm event dates and timings with the VA before attending as listings published here may have changed for reasons including adverse weather conditions.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
When is Memorial Day? See origin, expected travel, how the federal holiday is observed
You might be asking yourself when the next federal holiday is. Well, it's coming up. Memorial Day is this month. Looking forward a day off and maybe grilling some burgers as part of observing the holiday? Here is what you need to know. Memorial Day is observed annually on the last Monday of May. This year, it falls on May 26. Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, began after the American Civil War as a way to honor fallen soldiers. According to the National Cemetery Administration, the first national observance took place on May 30, 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic called for a day to decorate the graves of Civil War soldiers with flowers. Over time, the holiday expanded to commemorate all American military personnel who died in service. In 1971, Congress officially established Memorial Day as a federal holiday, moving its observance to the last Monday in May to create a three-day weekend. Today, Americans honor the day with parades, ceremonies, and moments of remembrance. Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the U.S. It was officially recognized by Congress in 1971 and is observed on the last Monday in May each year. As a federal holiday, government offices, banks, and many businesses close in observance. Americans can use this time to honor military personnel who died in service. According to AAA, 3.7 million Texans will travel over the Memorial Day holiday period between Thursday, May 22 and Monday, May 26, a 3% increase from 2024. This is the third straight year of record-breaking travel for this holiday statewide. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: When is Memorial Day 2025? The 3-day weekend is near
