Memorial weekend is upon us and most of us are thinking about the long weekend and the Indy 500. Yet, it is a day to remember and honor soldiers and sailors who died while serving on the field of battle. Established as Decoration Day in 1868 to honor the Union soldiers who died in the Civil War, and decorating their graves with flowers. In 1971, Congress made the holiday the last Monday in May.
The deadliest war fought by the United States was the Civil War, with 620,000 casualties. World War II saw 405,399 deaths in battle, and World War I saw 116,516 losing their lives. The U.S. lost over 58,000 soldiers during the Vietnam War, and over 36,000 died in the Korean War. The Revolutionary War saw 25,000 die on the field of battle.
As of 2022, there were only 115,000 veterans of World War II still with us, and 585,000 from the Korean War, Vietnam veterans are the largest group, with over 5 million. There are over 2 million Gulf War veterans living today.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday, and all federal, state, and local government offices will be closed. The post office will also be closed. Trash pickup in the city will be on a sliding schedule, with pickups a day later than normal. The Indianapolis Public Library will be closed Saturday through Monday, except the Info Zone located at the Children’s Museum.
On Friday, May 24, the American Legion will host a memorial service at the Indiana War Memorial, 55 E. Michigan St. at noon. The service kicks off the Memorial Day activities that lead up to the Indianapolis 500 in Speedway on Sunday, May 26 that looks like an exciting match-up led by Team Penske in the front row.
The Weekly View office will be closed the week of May 27-31 so that we can enjoy time with family and friends. Our next issue will be on June 7, 2024.