4 minute read
Memorial Day
by Andrew Irby
Honoring Our Beloved Fallen Soldiers
By Julia Romano
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Held on the last Monday in May, Memorial Day has a very special meaning. It commemorates those in the country’s armed forces who have died in the line of duty and deserve to be recognized and honored. Schools and many businesses are closed, and it is not uncommon for cities in most states to hold a solemn parade in honor of the fallen.
Memorial Day officially became a federal holiday in 1971, but it had previously been observed in an unofficial manner for many years. A similar, commemorative day reportedly took place as far back as on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina. The History Channel reports that after the Civil War ended and confederate soldiers left Charleston, a group of freed slaves gathered to bury and honor the bodies of union soldiers with a small parade. In 1868, Union General John A. Logan suggested that May 30 should be the first day dedicated to the annual memory of all soldiers who fell during the Civil War.
According to the Library of Congress, it wasn’t until 1950 that Congress would agree upon a resolution asking the president to ”issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe Memorial Day, by praying, each in accordance with his own religious faith, for permanent peace in the world.” Nearly two decades later in 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was finally passed, which both declared that Memorial Day would take place on the last Monday in May and required that federal employees be granted a day off.
The latest unfortunate event to have taken thirteen courageous men and women of the United States armed services was the tumultuous Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021. In 2022, the meaning of Memorial Day is truly about those heroic men and women, and the remarkable sacrifices they made. The August 26 attack near the gates of Hamid Karzai International Airport sadly killed eleven marines, one navy sailor and one army soldier, namely these outstanding heroes and heroines.
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31 Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosariopichardo, 25 Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23 Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22 Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23 Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22 Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20 Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20 Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20 Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20 Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20 Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22 Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23
On Monday, May 30, 2022 , Rhode Islanders will also honor its fallen soldiers. In past years, parades have been held in Bristol, Charlestown, Cumberland, East Greenwich, East Providence and South Kingstown. Memorial ceremonies have been observed in Charlestown, Cumberland, North Kingstown, Pawtucket, and West Warwick. Also in the past, Wickford village’s business district has been decorated with U.S. flags. For detailed information about 2022 Memorial Day parades and other events honoring our state’s fallen heroes and heroines across the state, close to where
you reside, contact your local city/town hall website or contact them via telephone.
S. Kingstown Memorial Day Parade
MON MAY 30 2022 AT 10:00 PM UTC-04:00 Wakefield Post Office | Wakefield
May 27, 2022 - May 30, 2022 Presented By: Operation Stand Down RI
In 2016, Operation Stand Down RI launched the Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial which presented almost 7,000 combat boots adorned with flags and placards. Each boot represents the life of a United States service member killed in action post 9-11 in the Global War on Terror. The placard attached to each boot displays the name and photo of the fallen along with biographical information, military branch, rank and circumstances of death. The Memorial is updated yearly to incorporate additional U.S. service members killed in the ongoing Global War on Terror.
The boots, adorned by the name placards, are alphabetized and organized by State and U.S. Territories. This allows those with a personal connection to locate a specific fallen hero’s boot. Many times, family, friends and comrades of the fallen can be seen solemnly viewing a particular boot and leaving a memento. Since its inception, over ten thousand visitors from all over the U.S. have visited during Memorial Day Weekend. The first three years the Memorial was displayed at Roger Williams Park in Providence. In 2019, the Memorial was displayed at Fort Adams State Park in Newport. Fort Adams is one of the oldest military posts in the Country.
The Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial will be displayed at Fort Adams in Newport over Memorial Day Weekend
Recurring daily 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Free to the public
