Honoring Heroes on Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a national holiday in the United States. It takes place each year on the last Monday in May. On this day, Americans remember the men and women who died while serving in the country's wars. For many people, Memorial Day weekend also feels like the start of the summer season. It is a popular time for travel and family gatherings.

One of the most important Memorial Day traditions happens at Arlington National Cemetery. This is the most famous military burial ground in America. The tradition there began long ago, in 1868. Back then, people put flowers on the graves of soldiers from the Civil War. At that time, the holiday was called Decoration Day.

Today, soldiers from a special Army unit called The Old Guard have an important duty. Just before Memorial Day, they place a small American flag in front of every headstone in the huge cemetery. Arlington is the final resting place for thousands of soldiers. Two U.S. presidents, William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, are also buried there.

The best-known war memorial in Washington, D.C., is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It opened in 1982. The memorial was designed by a university student named Maya Lin. Her design has two long, black stone walls that meet to form a V shape. The names of more than 58,000 Americans are carved into the stone. These are the people who were killed or lost during the Vietnam War.

Visitors often look for the name of a family member or friend who died. Many people make a pencil rubbing of a name to take home. It is also common for visitors to leave small objects or notes at the base of the wall. These are special ways to remember those who were lost.