Memorial Day is observed every year on the last Monday in the month of May. This holiday is a Federal Holiday in the USA observed to HONOR the brave men and women who have died whilst in service to our country fighting in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is NOT an occasion to say “Happy Memorial Day,” rather it is a MORE solemn THANKS both honoring and mourning the U.S. Military Personnel who have perished in service of others, while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Let us take a moment to reflect upon the BRAVE men and women whom this holiday remembers and is a tribute to. OUR SINCEREST GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE TO MILITAY MEMBERS BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND DUTY TO OUR COUNTRY. WE HOLD YOU IN THE HIGHEST ESTEEM AND ARE FOREVER INDEBTED TO YOU AND THE SACRIFICES THAT YOU HAVE MADE TO PROTECT US ALL. WE APPLAUD YOUR BRAVERY. Many www.ribbqnews.com readers and NEBS Members are either former or active military, my own Uncles, Cousins, and Beloved Best Friends are former military constituents and this weekend we SALUTE your COURAGE, your STEADFASTEDNESS, and your INTEGRITY. Mere words of thanks are not enough. Each Memorial Day weekend, Volunteers at Arlington National Cemetery decorate the graves of our fallen HEROES with American Flags as a significant symbol of GRATITUDE in honor of our fallen military personnel. As such, pictured below is Arlington National Cemetery decorated with American Flags.
The first National Memorial Day occurred on May 30th, 1868. It was then known as “Decoration Day,” and the holiday was proclaimed by Commander in Chief John A. Logan of The Grand Army of the Republic to honor the Union Soldiers who had died in the American Civil War. The recognition of this National Observance followed many local ceremonies which were inaugurated between the end of the Civil War and Logan’s Declaration. Many cities and people have claimed to be “the first” to observe this day of recognition. However, the National Cemetery Administration, a division of the Department of Veterans Affairs, credits Mary Ann Williams with originating the idea of “strewing graves of Civil War Soldiers -Union AND Confederate” with flowers. The United States National Cemetery System is a comprised of 164 Military Cemeteries in the United States and its territories. The authority to create such Military
Burial Places came about during The American Civil War, in an Act passed by the U.S. Congress on July 17th, 1862. By the end of July 1862, 12 National Cemeteries had been established. Two of our Nation’s most ICONIC Military Cemeteries are Arlington National Cemetery- which is under the jurisdiction of Department of The Army; and Gettysburg National Cemetery- under the jurisdiction of The National Park Service; they were established in 1864 and 1863 respectively. Below find photos of Gettysburg National Cemetery and The Arlington National Cemetery Monument.
Official recognition of Memorial Day as a holiday spread among the states beginning with New York in 1873. By 1890, every UNION State had adopted the observance of Memorial Day. The World Wars turned the observance of Memorial Day into a day of remembrance for ALL U.S. Military who fought and died in service to our country. In 1968, Congress changed its observance of the holiday to the last Monday in May, and in 1971, Congress standardized its name officially as “Memorial Day.”
Famous Poems commemorating Memorial Day include:
–Francis M. Finch’s “The Blue and They Grey,” written in 1867- pictured below.
–Henry Wasdworth Longfellow’s “Decoration Day,” written in 1882- pictured below.
–Michael Anania’s “Memorial Day,” written in 1994- pictured below.
Keeping the solemnity of Memorial Day at the forefront of our minds, this weekend is also “unofficially” the start of The Summer Season. It is a weekend chock-full of Family Gatherings, Cook-Outs, and of course—Plenty of BBQ! www.delish.com has a list of “91 Memorial Day Recipes,” including; Thai Sweet Chili Turkey Burgers, Copy Cat Raising Canes Chicken and Sauce, Caprese Burgers, and Carne Asada- a luscious classic Mexican preparation of steak where the marinade is just as important as the meat itself!
https://cooking.nytimes.com has compiled a “Memorial Day BBQ & Grilling Menu” with recipes such as: Traditional BBQ Chicken, Lemon Potato Salad with Mint, Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts, and “Thin But Juicy Chargrilled Burgers,”…and MANY more recipe options! NYT Cooking also includes recipes for your Backyard BBQ Cook-Outs delicious desserts—such as: Berries and Cream Sheetcake, No-Bake Chocolate Mousse Bars, an Éclair Cake, and even Pink Sugar Cookie Bars! Find the mouth-watering photo collages below for the aforementioned recipes!
Hamburgers – that scrumptious American Icon–are the MOST eaten item on Memorial Day weekend. Dating back to the early 20th Century, hamburgers have become the iconic symbol of American Cuisine and a beloved staple of foodstuffs for Memorial Day BBQs. The origins of hamburgers can be traced back to the “Hamburg Steak” that was brought over to The United States from German immigrants. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, each American will consume approximately 7 pounds of hotdogs, totaling a WHOPPING 7 BILLION hotdogs…that equates to eating to 818 hotdogs per second, according to The National Hotdog and Sausage Council! Last year, during “PEAK HOTDOG CONSUMPTION SEASON,” Americans spent a billion dollars on hotdogs. Los Angeles, California is the city with the BIGGEST hotdog consumption, and New York City is the 2nd largest. https://www.hot-dog.org
As we gather together to BBQ, Grill, Cook, and Smoke, welcoming the start of Summer, enjoying times spent with our loved ones congregating around a picnic table or a fire-pit, let us take a moment, too, to give THANKS and HEARTFELT GRATITUDE to our U.S. Military Service Members. Let us remember and honor the TRUE MEANING of Memorial Day. In the infamous, resounding words of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy:
“MY FELLOW AMERICANS, ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU,
ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY.”
