Memorial Day Weekend marks more than the official launch of summer but the Memorial Day holiday itself is steeped in tradition and pays tribute to those who gave their lives for the cause of liberty.
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| Memorial Day will be observed in Windham on Monday, May 26 with a parade running from Windham Town Hall to Windham High School, followed by a special observance at Windham High and a picnic lunch for the community at the Windham Veterans Center. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE |
Newspaper accounts of the time reported that Logan selected May 30 as the date for “Decoration Day” because it was not a day that a Civil War battle had been fought, and it allowed for spring flowers to reach full bloom and be in plentiful supply to place on the graves of veterans.
Logan served with distinction during the Civil War, sustaining serious wounds at the Battle of Fort Donelson in Tennessee in 1862. After recovering from his wounds, Logan became a command officer and served under U.S. Generals William Tecumseh Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant.
He later served the state of Illinois as a member of the House of Representatives and then as a U.S. Senator and joined Maine’s James G. Blaine on the Republican ticket as vice presidential candidate in 1884, which was defeated by the Democratic ticket, led by Grover Cleveland. Upon his death in 1886, Logan became one of just 40 Americans who have laid in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.
For more than 100 years, Americans observed “Decoration Day” and used the holiday to honor the sacrifices made by all those who perished during America’s wars.
But in 1972, the federal government’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act approved by Congress moved “Decoration Day” from May 30 to the last Monday in May with the new designation as “Memorial Day.” The reason given for the change was to standardize the federal holiday to a Monday since May 30 could fall on any day of the week.
Memorial Day activities in Windham will be hosted once again by the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 on Monday, May 26.
For the past several weeks, Legion members have placed American flags on the graves of veterans in town to commemorate their service to the nation. Flags have also been placed on utility poles throughout the town and will stay up through Labor Day in September.
A Memorial Day parade begins at 9 a.m. Monday from the Windham Town Hall and proceeds down School Street onto Route 202 south in the direction of Windham High School. The parade forms at 8:45 a.m. by the Windham Town Hall.
The parade terminates at the Town’s Veterans Memorial flagpole at Windham High School. About 10 minutes after the parade ends, Memorial Day ceremonies commence with guest speaker Lee Humisten, the curator of the Maine Military Museum.
Master of ceremonies at the event will be American Legion Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault, who will coordinate the ceremonial events including a ceremonial wreath laying, the bell tolling for lost veterans from the community this year, a ceremonial burning of flags removed from local veterans’ graves, and a traditional rifle salute and the playing of “Taps.” To add a name to the list of deceased veterans in the past year, call 207-892-1306.
At noon the American Legion will host an open house at the Windham Veterans Center, 35 Veterans Memorial Drive in Windham, with a brief memorial ceremony and the dedication of a granite bench in memory of the late Korean War veteran Walter Braley of Windham, including a wreath ceremony and rifle salute. A picnic style luncheon follows that is free and open to the public. <
Memorial Day activities in Windham will be hosted once again by the American Legion Field-Allen Post 148 on Monday, May 26.
For the past several weeks, Legion members have placed American flags on the graves of veterans in town to commemorate their service to the nation. Flags have also been placed on utility poles throughout the town and will stay up through Labor Day in September.
A Memorial Day parade begins at 9 a.m. Monday from the Windham Town Hall and proceeds down School Street onto Route 202 south in the direction of Windham High School. The parade forms at 8:45 a.m. by the Windham Town Hall.
The parade terminates at the Town’s Veterans Memorial flagpole at Windham High School. About 10 minutes after the parade ends, Memorial Day ceremonies commence with guest speaker Lee Humisten, the curator of the Maine Military Museum.
Master of ceremonies at the event will be American Legion Post 148 Commander Tom Theriault, who will coordinate the ceremonial events including a ceremonial wreath laying, the bell tolling for lost veterans from the community this year, a ceremonial burning of flags removed from local veterans’ graves, and a traditional rifle salute and the playing of “Taps.” To add a name to the list of deceased veterans in the past year, call 207-892-1306.
At noon the American Legion will host an open house at the Windham Veterans Center, 35 Veterans Memorial Drive in Windham, with a brief memorial ceremony and the dedication of a granite bench in memory of the late Korean War veteran Walter Braley of Windham, including a wreath ceremony and rifle salute. A picnic style luncheon follows that is free and open to the public. <
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