Memorial Day honors U.S. service members with ceremonies, flags and poppies

Americans across the country will observe Memorial Day this Monday, a federal holiday dedicated to honoring military personnel who died while serving the United States. The day is marked by ceremonies at cemeteries and memorials, the decoration of veterans' graves, and the flying of flags at half-staff.

The holiday, observed on the last Monday in May, originated in the aftermath of the Civil War as "Decoration Day," a time for communities to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. One of the first national observances occurred at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868. The date was later changed, and in 1971, Congress officially established Memorial Day as a federal holiday. While it has also become associated with the start of summer and a popular travel weekend, its core purpose remains the solemn remembrance of those who lost their lives in service.

A specific flag protocol is observed on Memorial Day. The U.S. flag is to be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, a practice dating back to at least 1906. Volunteers also place small flags on veterans' graves in cemeteries across the nation.