Things You May Not Know About Memorial Day

While celebrating Memorial Day, here are some things to consider while you gather with friends and family for the holiday.

While celebrating Memorial Day, here are some things to consider while you gather with friends and family for the holiday.  Memorial Day was created in remembrance of men and women who died serving this country.  Did you also know that the National Moment of Remembrance Act encourages citizens to pause at exactly 3:00 p.m. in honor of those brave men and women.  Baseball games often pause during this time and Amtrak trains sound their horns in unison.  The oldest continuously running Memorial Day parade in the nation is held every year in Ironton, Ohio.  The Ironton-Lawrence Memorial Day parade started in 1868.  The very first one was held in Doylestown, PA.  “Taps” the bugle call performed at military funerals was adopted from another call that was once used for signaling “lights out”.  The quite tune is used at funerals because back in the day soldiers feared that a traditional rifle salute would alert nearby confederate troops to their location.  Finally, for the past 20 years the American Automobile Association has released a Memorial Day travel forecast.  Due to the pandemic, 2020 was the first time they skipped it. Officials said the crisis “undermined” the accuracy of the annual report.  They have released this year’s and predict that just over 37 million Americans will hit the road or take to the skies this weekend.