Memorial Day has relevance

It is all too commonplace to think of Memorial Day as the semiofficial beginning of the summer vacation and driving seasons, an attitude reinforced by Congress in 1971, when it was pegged to the last Monday in May — to make for a nice three-day weekend — rather than the traditional date of May 30. It is bittersweet to note, however, with the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, that the original purpose of the day has become more predominant in many Americans’ minds.

Memorial Day, of course, is the day set aside to honor those who gave, as Abraham Lincoln put it, “the last full measure of devotion” in service to the country in military conflicts.

Its precise origins are a little murky, in that dozens of cities and towns set aside a day to honor those killed in the Civil War, or the War Between the States, by decorating their graves with flowers, flags and other symbols of respect.

When officially proclaimed by Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in 1868, the observance was called Decoration Day.

By the end of the century all the northern states recognized Decoration Day, but most southern states chose not to acknowledge it, preferring to honor their dead on different days.

After World War I, the commemoration changed from honoring those who died in the Civil War to honoring those who died in any war.

Traditionally, many cities held parades on Memorial Day, but that practice has declined somewhat. It was also traditional to visit cemeteries and place flags and flowers on the graves of military people. That tradition deserves revival.

But it is not uncommon in the Permian Basin to find groups and individuals who mark the occasion by placing flags on the graves of veterans. And that serves to demonstrate just how many people honored their country with military service.

Actually, the traditional Memorial Day observance in Odessa and Midland has been expanded over a period of 10 days or more since the annual Run for the Wall motorcycle caravan makes a stop here about a week prior to the actual celebration. The riders start in California and gather more supporters as they cross the country for a big annual observance in Washington, D.C. Odessans Ray and Kay McDowell are among the leaders of this group and always host a feed and a stop at the Permian Basin Vietnam Memorial at Midland International Airport during the ride.

Meanwhile, motorcyclists who can’t commit that much time and/or expense to a cross-country ride have area events to mark Memorial Day. Last weekend, a group of riders helped family and friends remember Permian graduate Kris Higdon, who died May 22, 2007, when his vehicle convoy struck an improvised explosive device in Iraq. It was held three years to the day after Staff Sgt. Higdon’s death and staged at Permian High School. A special guest was his younger brother Britt Higdon, who currently serves in Iraq.

And on Monday, this year’s official Memorial Day, the 11-year-old Ride to Remember will pass through Odessa on the way to Andrews. As many as 700 riders will make the ride in honor of Ray Bevel of Andrews. Cpl. Bevel was killed, also by an improvised explosive device, April 21, 2007, in Iraq. His parents will ride with the group.

While not everyone agrees with the continuing U.S. presence in the Middle East, we have graphic proof that Americans, and West Texans in particular, have a great appreciation for those who serve, and sometimes die, in military service. That means the spirit of Memorial Day is very much alive.