Memorial Day

Soldado deposita flores sobre lápide no Cemitério de Arlington. (Foto: AP Photo)

Memorial Day is a legal holiday in honor of the men and women of the American Armed Forces who died in combat for their country in its wars. Originally observed on May 30 (for those fallen in the Civil War and World War I), in most parts of the country, it is now officially commemorated on the last Monday in May. In the South, some states set aside April 26, May 10, or June 3 to honor more regional events or Southerners who died in combat for the South. It is a day when flowers and flags are deposited on the tombs of soldiers, and ceremonies are held in the Gettysburg National Military Park and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. There are military parades and other commemorative manifestations, in which veterans and Boy and Girl Scouts participate.