Green Hills Hosts Memorial Day Observance in RPV

This article was written and reported by City News Service.

Organizers expected a crowd of 5,000 for the 28th annual Memorial Day Observance at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes on Monday, billed as the Southland's largest annual Memorial Day observance.

The two-hour program began at 10 a.m. The keynote speaker was retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Dana Bowman, a former member of the Army's elite parachute team, the Golden Knights. Bowman lost parts of his legs in a midair collision with another team member during practice in 1994.

Bowman later became the first double amputee to re-enlist in the U.S. Army. He skydived into Green Hills Memorial Park to deliver his address.

The observance also included aerial fly-overs by vintage aircraft, skydivers displaying American and military flags, a parade of colors from all branches of the armed forces, veterans' groups and area police and fire departments, musical performances by the country singer Matt Rogers, bagpipers and military bands, wreath-laying and a 21-gun salute and the release of 100 doves.

President Barack Obama proclaimed Monday as a day of prayer for permanent peace, designating 11 a.m. in each time zone as a time to unite in prayer and 3 p.m. to observe the national moment of remembrance. He also requested that flags to flown at half-staff until noon.

"Today, we pay tribute to those patriots who never came back, who fought for a home to which they never returned and died for a country whose gratitude they will always have," Obama proclaimed.

"Scripture teaches us that 'greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'

"On Memorial Day, we remember those we have lost not only for what they fought for, but who they were—proud Americans, often far too young, guided by deep and abiding love for their families, each other and for this country.

"Our debt to them is one we can never fully repay. But we can honor their sacrifice and strive to be a nation equal to their example."

What became Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868 as Decoration Day, a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the Civil War dead with flowers.

It was established 25 days earlier by Maj. Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of veterans who fought for the Union in the Civil War. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the nation.

By the end of the 19th century, Decoration Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 throughout the nation. After World War I, the holiday was changed to honor Americans who died fighting in all wars.

The term Memorial Day was first used in 1882, became more common after World War II and declared the official name by federal law in 1967.

Memorial Day had been observed on May 30, until being moved to the last Monday in May in 1971 under terms of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which became law in 1968.