Articles & Excerpts

General Order Number 11 of the Grand Army of the Republic was the document that established Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it has been also called, as a nationwide observance. On the 5th of May 1868 as commander in chief of the Grand Army of the republic, I issued to our comrades throughout the … Continued

This section contains writings that highlight the sacrifices Americans are willing to make yesterday, today and tomorrow in defense of freedom and liberty. Lt. Brian Bradshaw Washington Post July 15, 2009 Pg. 19 A Soldier Comes Home On July 5, The Post published a letter from Martha Gillis of Springfield, whose nephew, Lt. Brian Bradshaw, … Continued

Have we forgotten the meaning of Memorial Day? As national sacrifice gave way to national prosperity, we largely replaced gratitude with barbecues, and solemnity with slashed prices at the mall. Commentary By Jack Jacobs Military analyst MSNBC Updated: 9:06 a.m. ET May 29, 2007 A long time ago, when I was attending public school in … Continued

Essay on Quartermaster care of the dead from the Civil War to Korea Our Honored Dead By Florence Cannon The Quartermaster Review May-June 1952 “Show me the manner in which a nation or a community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender sympathies of its people, their respect for … Continued

By Arthur Herman On Feb. 19, 1945, more than 110,000 Americans and 880 ships began their assault on a small volcanic island in the Pacific, in the climactic battle of the last year of World War II. For the next 36 Days Iwo Jima would become the most populous seven-and-a-half square miles on the planet, … Continued

By David P. Colley“Prologue” It was a parade of sorts that began shortly after the Joseph V. Connolly sailed past Ambrose Light, through the Narrows, and glided slowly into New York harbor in the early morning haze of October 26, 1947. Two sleek navy destroyers, the USS Bristol and the USS Beatty, and the gleaming … Continued