Why We’re Proud to Celebrate Memorial Day

The last Monday in May, the beginning of summer, the day for barbecues, pool parties, and parades. What do all of these have in common? Memorial Day! But what is the very most important aspect of this holiday? Honoring our fallen men and women who served in the armed forces of America.

They served in the highest of heat and lowest of temperatures with no water heaters, filters, or any other comforts we take for granted. We love our military, our veterans, and we love Memorial Day! For Memorial Day this year, we’re looking at this day from past to present.

How Decoration Day Became Memorial Day

We’ve always known it as Memorial Day, but it wasn’t called by that name until 1971. Instead, it was called Decoration Day. But in order to know why our great-great-grandparents called it Decoration Day, we have to know why we started celebrating it in the first place.

The first time Americans celebrated a Memorial Day of sorts was in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, the spring of 1865. Because the Civil War was the bloodiest in the history of the United States at that time, so many American lives were lost and left behind families, homes, farms, and legacies of bravery.

Friends and family of fallen soldiers were gathering in cemeteries and holding vigils to remember the sacrifice of their loved ones. It didn’t have an official date or name just yet but was always about remembrance.It wasn’t until a general who served in the Union army declared a specific day of remembrance to take place in 1868 that the first official holiday began.

On May 30, 1868, Americans all across the land were honoring the fallen. It was named Decoration Day to keep the focus off any specific battlefield and place it on the human lives lost on both sides.

The day we celebrate now is on the last Monday of May because Congress passed a law in 1968 changing the date of the holiday. Why? So that federal employees could take a 3-day weekend in remembrance of our soldiers. Now, we equate Memorial Day with parades, patriotism, remembrance, and the dawn of summer.

Let’s Celebrate Our Armed Forces

Every year from mid-May to the big day itself, we are bombarded with shopping discounts, invitations to backyard cookouts, and plans to have pool parties.

It’s so easy to be sidetracked by all these enticing, fun things to do in the beautiful weather. In reality, we all know that Memorial Day is about remembrance. It’s about sacrifice.

It’s about men and women whose children never got to have them at high school graduations and dance recitals because they paid the ultimate price for freedom.

It’s about honoring the fallen, and showing that we will never forget nor take for granted what they gave. So this year and every year, we celebrate our armed forces. May we never reap the benefits of freedom without giving credit where it is due: our military.

We Are Grateful for You, Our Clients

Memorial Day reminds us of all we have received from our selfless servicemembers, and also from you. Our clients are the cogs that keep our wheels turning towards new ideas, a fresh outlook, and excellence in our industry. We wouldn’t be who we are today without you.

We owe our success to the customers that keep coming back. If you’ve served our country and we’ve been fortunate enough to have your business, you have our utmost gratitude. With all our clients, we have a bright future for our company and we look forward to growing together. Thank you for all that you do!

This year, when you use your hot water heater for a shower after a long day at the pool, know that the soldiers we celebrate on Memorial Day didn’t have that when they served. On Memorial Day, we spend time with loved ones and enjoy those perfect temperatures at the beginning of summer.

But also remember. At Jim Wagner Plumbing, Inc. honor those that paid the ultimate price for freedom and do our best to be citizens worthy of their sacrifice. To all the warriors that passed away in battle, you will always be with us. We can’t thank you enough!