Remembering Those Who Fought For Freedom

Memorial Day

by J. J. Scott

Remembering the men and women who fought for American freedom on the battlefield, and those who supported them on the home front, should not happen only on Memorial Day but year around.

Memorial Day birthplace: In 1866 in Waterloo, NY, citizens organized the first Decoration Day to honor the community's Civil War dead. Graves were decorated in remembrance of the soldiers and their families. In 1966, Congress officially recognized Waterloo as "The Birthplace of Memorial Day." Today a Memorial Day Museum is located in a historic 22-room brick mansion on Main Street. www.waterloony.com/mdaymus.html

Turning Point of the Revolution: During the Revolutionary War, in the autumn of 1777, American forces met, defeated, and forced the British army to surrender at Saratoga, New York. Because this American victory renewed patriots' hopes for independence and secured essential foreign recognition and support it is referred to as “The Turning Point of the Revolution.” www.nps.gov/sara

And the British kept a comin’: Just down river from New Orleans in Chalmette is the site of the January 8, 1815, Battle of New Orleans, the last great battle of the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain. Even though it was fought after the peace treaty had been signed it became a symbol of American democracy triumphing over the European ideas of aristocracy and royal governments. www.nps.gov/jela

The Great Battlefield: The Union victory in the summer of 1863 at Gettysburg, PA, ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy," it was one of the war's bloodiest battles with 51,000 casualties. It also provided President Abraham Lincoln with the setting for his most famous speech, “The Gettysburg Address.” www.nps.gov/gett

D-Day Museum: Congress has designated The National D-Day Museum in New Orleans as the country’s official World War II museum. From the Normandy invasion to the war in the Pacific, the museum brings to life the teamwork, optimism, courage, and sacrifice of the men and women who won the war and changed the world. www.ddaymuseum.org

Washington’s National Mall: Officially established in 1965, the National Mall and Memorial Parks not only commemorates presidents but also honors the courage and sacrifice of war veterans of many wars. Memorials honors the men and women who served in WW II, Korea, and Vietnam. www.nps.gov/nama

The Pacific Campaign: In Fredericksburg, Texas, Chester Nimitz, a hometown boy and one of the most respected leaders of World War II, is honored at the National Museum of the Pacific War. The museum not only honors Nimitz but all the heroes of the Pacific Campaign. From static displays to vivid reenactments, the battles of the Pacific are explained in such detail that even the most learned history buffs will learn something new. www.nimitz-museum.org/

Wild Blue Yonder: Located in Dayton, OH, the Air Force Museum, is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum. Learn about military aviation history by viewing more than 300 aircraft and missiles along with thousands of historical items that bring history to life and connect the Wright brothers' legacy with today’s technology. www.nationalmuseum.af.mil

The Long Gray Line: On a high point above the Hudson River in New York State, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has trained and educated some of America’s greatest leaders and heroes. The Visitor’s Center offers information and guided bus tours on a daily basis. www.usma.edu/visiting.asp

A Day of Infamy: The USS Arizona Memorial Museum in Pearl Harbor, near Honolulu, Hawaii, honors the thousands who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Displays span the years from the pleasant pre-war life in Pearl Harbor to the day of the attack that launched America into World War II. Displays include soldier’s chatty letters plus models of the Japanese aircraft carrier that was the flagship of the deadly attack force and one that shows the USS Arizona as she appeared before the attack. www.arisonamemorial.org

Beside memorials found in every hometown, there are submarines and military ships to explore. Annapolis, the National Cemetery, and the US Army Women’s Museum, are just some of the sites honoring those who served. In 2013, The National Museum of the U.S. Army will open its doors and join the long list of places where America remembers those who served the American cause.

West Point image courtesy of Orange County Tourism (NY).