Honoring Memorial Day

May 30, 2010 | Story by: Hal Goodtree | Categories: Community

Cary, NC – Memorial Day is the first glorious weekend of summer. There’s straightening up the yard, going to the pool, getting the boat out on the water or just grillin’ and chillin’ with friends. It’s all good.

But Memorial Day is also for those who have sacrificed all for their country. My father spent four years in the Pacific with General MacArthur, but he got to come home.

Memorial Day is to remember those who didn’t get to come home.

Honoring the Day

Like Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July, there are as many ways to observe the holiday as people across the land.

Some bring flowers to memorials and cemeteries. Others look at old photographs, cook a special dish or just crack a beer and make a silent toast.

Around my house, where the tragedy of war has not touched us quite so directly, I’ll swap out the usual college banner or pirate flag hanging off the garage for the Stars and Stripes.

Memorial Sites in the Triangle

If you’d like to visit some war memorial sites in the Triangle, here’s a short list.

• Veterans Monument (Raleigh) – Wreath ceremony at 10 AM and 1 PM
• Raleigh National Cemetery – Resting place of Union soldiers
• Wake Forest Veterans Memorial – Memorial Day observance by Wake Forest American Legion 11 AM
• Duke War Memorial (Durham) – You can also read “We Were Soldiers Once and Young“
• Historic Oakwood Cemetery (Raleigh) – Final resting place of 1,500 Confederate soldiers.
• Veterans Freedom Memorial (Cary) – Harrison Ave between Cary Parkway and Beechtree Drive.
• Maplewood Cemetery (Durham) – Memorial service at 1 PM. Guest speaker – Marine Col. Tom Eagan (Ret).
• Hillcrest Cemetery (Cary) – U.S. Rep Brad Miller will speak at 10 AM.
• Chapel Hill Cemetery – Morning Colors at 8 AM.

Above – Veterans Memorial outside the State Capitol in Raleigh.
Top – Veterans Freedom Memorial in Cary.
Photos by Hal Goodtree.