Memorial Day 2025
Memorial Day is a unique holiday – a day of celebration conceived to honor the dead and, specifically, death on the battlefield during times of war. By that measure, it is a holiday that commands – demands – our attention, respect and reflection.
Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May, is a solemn U.S. federal holiday dedicated to honoring military personnel who have died in service to the country. Its origins trace back to the Civil War era, evolving from informal local observances into a national day of remembrance.
Origins and Early Observances
The earliest known observance of Memorial Day occurred in May 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina, primarily organized by formerly enslaved African Americans to honor Union soldiers and celebrate emancipation. In 1866, Columbus, Mississippi, held a formal Decoration Day ceremony for both Union and Confederate dead, marking one of the first such events to commemorate all fallen soldiers. These local acts of remembrance laid the groundwork for a broader national observance.
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal and service organization that came into existence after the Civil War in order to provide support and advocacy for Union Army veterans and in May 1868, General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the GAR, issued an order to all GAR members, calling for a nationwide Decoration Day on May 30th to honor Union soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers. The first national observance took place that year, with ceremonies held in 27 states. I am a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), with four direct ancestors who served in the Union Army during the War Between the States. By Congressional directive, the SUVCW is the successor organization to the GAR and SUVCW chapters all across the country conduct solemn Memorial Day observances every year.
Transition to Memorial Day
Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday’s scope expanded after World War I to honor all U.S. military personnel who died in any war. The term “Memorial Day” began to gain popularity in the 1880s and was officially adopted by federal law in 1967. In 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved the observance to the last Monday in May, starting in 1971, to provide workers with a three-day weekend.
Observance and Significance Today
Today, Memorial Day is marked by various ceremonies, including the laying of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, parades, and moments of silence. At 3:00 p.m. local time, a National Moment of Remembrance encourages Americans to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by fallen service members.
While the day has become associated with the unofficial start of summer, barbecues, and sales, its primary purpose remains a time for solemn reflection on the sacrifices of those who gave their lives for the nation’s freedom. As an aviation-oriented law firm, Aerlex Law Group holds the American aviators who have lost their lives in combat in special reverence. The exact number of airmen who have died in American wars is not known with specificity, but the numbers are staggering. In World War II alone, the United States suffered 52,173 aircrew combat losses and another 25,844 died in accidents. The U.S. lost 22,948 airplanes in combat, 20,633 in accidents overseas and 21,583 in accidents in the U.S. According to the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, 11,846 helicopters were shot down or crashed during the war, resulting in nearly 5,000 American pilots and crew killed. Allow yourself to ponder those numbers for a few moments as you prepare to observe Memorial Day.
In honor of this most special day, Aerlex Law Group with be closed on Monday, May 26, 2025.
Stephen Hofer
President and Founder
Aerlex Law Group