Memorial Day - Remembering those who have served

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was conceived by
General John A. Logan, left, the National Commander of the U.S.
Army.  The first Memorial Day celebration was observed on May 30,
1868, to honor those who had served in the U.S. military.

It wasn't until almost 100 years later that Memorial Day was officially 
recognized by Congress as a National holiday under the National Holiday Act of 1971, to be celebrated on the last Monday of May.

1865 - General John A. Rawlins with his wife and child

at General Grant's headquarters in City Point, Virginia.

Class of 1894 -  U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md 

1897 - below deck on the U.S.S. Brooklyn 

1916 - Mrs. George (Lelia) Gordon with her son,

Basil Gordon, in Washington, D.C. 

Homecoming - end of World War I

1925 - Sgt. Jiggs with a U.S. Marine.  Sgt. Jiggs was the mascot

for the U.S. Marine Corps and was made an official Marine. 

1930 - General Douglas MacArthur

1942 - Eloise J. Ellis was appointed the Senior Supervisor in the

Assembly and Repairs Department at the U.S. Naval Air Base in

Corpus Christi, Texas. 

 1943 - making a photo to send back home

1968 - A radioman above a U.S. Navy hospital ship off DaNang, Vietnam

Young Marines in Afghanistan, 2010

Thank you to all who have served - past and present.

Photo credit:  Shorpy's