WHEREAS, Since the first soldiers of the Continental Army took up arms in 1775 to fight for independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, more than 1,000,000 American service members have sacrificed their lives for this nation; and

WHEREAS, The tradition of commemorating the nation’s war dead began in 1868 with a national holiday held in honor of those killed fighting for the Union during the Civil War, when the Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, John A. Logan, issued General Orders No. 11, also known as the “Memorial Day Act,” formally establishing “Memorial Day” as Decoration Day; and

WHEREAS, This first national Decoration Day was inspired by the informal post-Civil War springtime practice of adorning graves of individuals who were killed in the fighting of that war, in both the North and the South; and

WHEREAS, Following World War I, Decoration Day evolved into Memorial Day, a solemn occasion to honor all American service members who have given their lives in defense of our nation, transcending individual conflicts to encompass the broader meaning of sacrifice; and

WHEREAS, Since 1971, Memorial Day has been designated to be observed on the last Monday in May; and

WHEREAS, Millions of Americans band together every year to honor and mourn all of the brave men and women who gave the last full measure of devotion while defending their country’s freedom; and

WHEREAS, As citizens of this great nation, it is incumbent upon us to never forget the profound debt of gratitude we owe to those who have fought and died to secure the blessings of liberty for future generations; now, therefore, be it