Original purpose of Memorial Day revisited The placement of flags next to veterans' graves is an honored Memorial Day custom. The day was established to honor Civil War veterans from both sides By Warren Bluhm News-Chronicle "Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan." - General Orders No. 11, May 5, 1868 By order of Gen. John Logan It has been many years since Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day and 35 years since it was observed on May 30. Since Congress passed the "Monday holiday" bill in 1968, the day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service has been celebrated on the fourth Monday in May, and the observance has become more known as the unofficial first weekend of summer vacation than for its original purpose. This year, the United Patriotic Societies organization of Green Bay has decided to hold its traditional Memorial Day service at Admiral Flatley Park on the evening of the traditional Memorial Day, 6:30 p.m. Thursday. For many years the service has been held at 9 a.m. on whatever Monday the observance was scheduled. "There's been a resurgence of patriotism since Sept. 11, but even before then we had talked about trying to hold it on the 'real' Memorial Day," said Laveral Pieper, president of the United Patriotic Societies, an umbrella group that counts many local veterans' organizations among its members. "(The Monday observance) has become more of a government holiday, and everybody goes to their cottages or picnicking," Pieper said. "We thought by having it on a Thursday evening around sunset, we could get more people involved." Guest speakers include Mayor Paul Jadin and Col. Michael Staszak of Fort McCoy. Veterans' groups will place wreaths in the Fox River in honor of America's fallen heroes. Pieper has been active in the effort to preserve the original purpose of Memorial Day, recalling his childhood in Alma when teachers would take students to cemeteries and tell them to make sure every veteran's grave had at least one flower on it. "That was when I was 7, 8 years old," said Pieper, a veteran of the Korean War. "I would love to see it come back." A recent tradition at Green Bay Preble High School has been to accompany veterans to Allouez Catholic and Woodlawn cemeteries to set up flags at veterans' graves. Pieper approached Preble with the idea several years ago. "I just wanted to get future generations involved and interested; I mean look at us, there's not many of us left," he said, gesturing toward the older veterans walking among the headstones with the teen-agers. Memorial Day was first observed by order of Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, who had flowers placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868, four years after the end of the Civil War. In 1999 Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, introduced a bill that would have restored the observance to its original annual date of May 30, but the measure never emerged from committee. FYI In addition to the United Patriotic Societies' observance at Admiral Flatley Park beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, many other local services are scheduled. Here is a partial listing: — Celebrate De Pere Veterans Memorial Salute, 7 p.m. today, Voyageur Park in De Pere. — Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 8 a.m. Monday, Veterans Parkway next to Neville Public Museum, 210 Museum Place. — VFW Post 7534, 8 a.m. Monday, Memorial Park, Riverview Drive in Howard. — Mass, 8:15 a.m. Monday, St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Pinecrest Road in Howard, followed by VFW service at 9 a.m. — Mixtacki-Johnson American Legion Post 337, 8:30 a.m. Monday, parade from post building to Assumption BVM Cemetery for 9 a.m. service. — Bellevue VFW Post 9677, 9 a.m. Monday, St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, followed by visits to local cemeteries to place flags. — Mass, 9 a.m. Monday, Holy Cross Catholic Church, 3001 Bay Settlement Road. — De Pere VFW Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. Monday, followed by noon service at Voyageur Park. — Howard-Suamico Memorial Day Parade, 10 a.m. Monday, Cardinal Lane to Velp Avenue to Riverview Drive. — Heritage Hill State Park, S. Webster Ave. in Allouez, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier memorial, 10 a.m. Monday. — Mass, Allouez Catholic Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum, 2121 Riverside Drive in Allouez, 10:30 a.m. Monday. — Wrightstown American Legion Post 436 ceremony at Riverside Cemetery, Mueller Park, followed by parade at post headquarters on Main Street and luncheon. 10:30 a.m. Monday. Guest speaker U.S. Rep. Mark Green. — Ashwaubenon VFW Post 10244 memorial service, 11 a.m. Monday at VFW Memorial Park, Cormier Road in Ashwaubenon. — Brown County AMVETS memorial service, 11 a.m. Monday at Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, 1901 S. Oneida St. in Ashwaubenon. — Oneida Nation ceremony, guest speaker Attorney General James Doyle, noon Monday, Oneida Casino, 2100 Airport Drive (State 172) in Ashwaubenon.