MEMORIAL DAY: HONOR THOSE WHO FELL IN WAR

Tomorrow is Memorial Day, surely one of America's most meaningful and significant national holidays. The observance of so sacred a day must certainly be more than just another excuse for a weekend at the lake or a barbecue with friends. It is the day set aside to honor all the men and women who have given their lives for the survival of the freedoms we enjoy.

Memorial Day began as what was called Decoration Day before the end of the Civil War. Citizens took up the practice of placing flowers on the graves of those slain in that war. In one of the most touching stories of that terrible conflict, ladies of the South began at first to decorate the graves of Confederate heroes, but soon expanded to decorate the graves of Union troops as well. As news of the touching gesture spread, the custom became widespread across America.

Today, of course, the holiday honors those from all our wars who fell in service to their country. Of particular poignance are those centenarians who are the last remaining veterans of World War I. Also, we're losing the aging veterans of World War II at the rate of close to a thousand a day nationwide. Veterans of the Korean and Vietnam conflicts are aging as well.

Observances in the area included Saturday's at Mound City National Cemetery in Southern Illinois and these scheduled for Monday, each at 11 a.m.: at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau, at the Carroll P. Foster Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3455 in Anna, Ill., at the Lightener Memorial Cemetery east of Scott City, and in the march of veterans groups in Perryville from the American Legion Hall to the Perry County Courthouse steps. At 9 a.m. in Jackson, there will be another ceremony at the entrance to the Jackson City Cemetery on South High Street. Here's hoping that there are good turnouts for each of these moving tributes to our men and women in arms.