I enjoy celebrating Memorial Day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  This year it falls on May 25, 2009.  There are many different things that all of us do to honor people we have lost.  I have always gone out to the cemetery where it is peaceful and where I can think without a lot of distraction.  This year I will be celebrating on and off during the day because I have a job that doesn’t recognize holidays so I am working – it should be a crime to not have this day off.   I realize that there are things that need to be open, etc., etc., but my job is not one of those.

Memorial Day began to honor the soldiers who died during the Civil War.  Originally, it was called Decoration Day.  Every year I go to a lot of sites to read about the history and background of Memorial Day and each year I learn something new.  I find it all so fascinating.  It’s just something I never get tired of reading about.

There is a site that is specific to Fallen Heroes.  I only found the names of the heroes on the Milwaukee site versus the pictures and names when you go to the Madison site for Fallen heroes.  It is so much more personable to see the pictures with the name and the story with them.  If you don’t read anything else about all of this you must go and see those pages.  I can’t go to articles like this – whether it’s Milwaukee or any other city in our country – where it doesn’t bring tears to my eyes.  When I think of the sacrifices these men and women have made for us, words can’t even express how deeply grateful I am to each and every one of them and their families.

The parade is a highlight for me.  I just love it.  There is information here on the time, place, route, etc.

One other tidbit of information on the flag etiquette.  On Memorial Day the U.S. flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of the nation’s battle heroes. To display the flag at half staff, hoist it to the peak for an instant and lower it to a position half way between the top and bottom of the staff.

For other local information for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, see the site at www.directoryofmilwaukee.com.