Memorial Day is a federal holiday set aside for honoring and mourning military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Boerne marks the day with ceremonies sponsored by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, as follows:
• MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBRANCE ceremony hosted by the American Legion CMTV Post 313 is set for 10-10:30 a.m. at Veterans Plaza, 801 N. Main St. in Boerne.
• MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY hosted by VFW Post 688 begins at 11 a.m. at Boerne Cemetery, 700 N. School St. The VFW honor all veterans who have died and are buried at the cemetery. The program features a guest speaker and a 21-gun salute.
The first national observance of Memorial Day occurred on May 30, 1868. Then known as Decoration Day and observed on May 30, the holiday was proclaimed by Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, to honor the Union soldiers who had died in the American Civil War.
Official recognition as a holiday began with New York in 1873. By 1890, every Union state had adopted it.
In 1968, Congress changed its observance to the last Monday in May, and in 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress.
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