Advertisement Continue reading the main storyOutside Cherokee, Iowa (population 5,253), at the Galva Veterans Memorial, I stood at Cpl. Inscribed at the bottom of the polished black granite surface are the words “If you forget my death, then I died in vain.”Few sentences better distill the spirit of Memorial Day. Created after the Civil War, Memorial Day is an odd holiday, at once a solemn commemoration of those killed in war and a day of beach outings and backyard barbecues celebrating the start of summer. “I miss you” posts will be left on Facebook pages remembering lost sons and daughters. For those who have lost loved ones in battle, a different and quieter sort of memorializing is likely to take place in homes, churches and neighborhood cemeteries.

Source: New York Times May 28, 2016 18:30 UTC