Gaithersburg Marks Memorial Day Weekend With Flag Display, Wreaths

GAITHERSBURG, MD — The City of Gaithersburg will honor those who have given their lives in military service at its annual Memorial Day observance at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30, at Christman Park.

Join Mayor Jud Ashman and the city council, Junior Mayor Milly Abdo, city staff and guests in a tribute.

The guest speaker will be retired Army Lt. Col. Larry D. Williams. He is a trial attorney, admitted to appear at the U.S. Supreme Court, Supreme Court of Virginia, and the Armed Forces Court of Appeals. He has been a guest lecturer at the FBI Academy, and has published articles in the “American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology,” a city news release said.

The ceremony will include speeches and music, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony. The Cadet Color Guard of Gaithersburg High School will present the colors; Chloe Jackson, Catholic University of America sophomore, will perform the national anthem; and “Taps” will be played by Merli Banner of the Gaithersburg High School Band.

Guests will be invited to fill out a card and provide a 4x6 photograph for a book of tribute, honoring friends and family members who serve.

Christman Park, named for Marine 2nd Lt. William J. Christman III, a Gaithersburg resident who was killed in Vietnam, is located at 304 W. Deer Park Road in Gaithersburg. Groups or individuals interested in attending or participating in the Memorial Day Observance may contact Dorthy Winder at 301-258-6350 or e-mail Dorthy.Winder@gaithersburgmd.gov. For more information, visit the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

To support homeless veterans in Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless provides housing to an average of 75 homeless veterans each year. Donations, including food, toiletries and cleaning supplies, are being collected at the Memorial Day ceremony to assist veterans with their move.

A complete list of items needed is available on the city’s website here. Donations can be dropped off during the Memorial Day observance. Monetary donations are also being accepted. Make checks payable to the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless. Online donations can be made here. For more information, e-mail Lynn Rose at volunteer@mcch.net.

Flags for Our Heroes, featuring a giant display of American flags, returns to the lawn at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm, Friday, May 26 through Monday, May 29. A formal opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 27 at 11 a.m. There will be a flag retirement ceremony on Sunday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m.

Flags are sponsored by individuals and organizations to honor their "heroes." Click here for sponsorship details. Flags for Our Heroes is organized by the Rotary Clubs of Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, and Historic Emory Grove and is hosted by the City of Gaithersburg.

Here are some other events and activities taking place nearby over the Memorial Day weekend:

• Rockville's Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade at Rockville Town Center: May 29
• National Memorial Day Concert Series in Washington, DC: May 26-29
• National Memorial Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery: May 29
• National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC: May 29
• Rolling to Remember: May 28
• Art in Nature Festival at National Botanic Garden: May 27-28
• Memorial Day BBQ at the Potomac Swim & Tennis Club: May 29, 12-4 p.m.
• Memorial Day Cookout at Wheaton Regional Park: May 29, 12-6 p.m.

The history of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, dates back to 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan called for a day of remembrance to honor the Northern lives lost amid battle during the Civil War that had ended just a few years earlier, according to History.com. As time passed, more and more people called it Memorial Day, and it became a federal holiday in 1971.

Waterloo, New York, is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day. The town’s observance on May 5, 1866, predated Logan’s call for a day of remembrance. Local businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags.

Until World War I, the holiday honored only those soldiers who died while fighting for the Union in the War, as Southern states honored their war dead on a separate day. After the 116,000-plus American deaths in World War I, the tradition changed to remember all who have died while serving in the military.

Every year, a national moment of remembrance is held at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, Americans are asked to pause for one minute in silence to remember military personnel who have given their lives in service to their country. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the midday time was chosen because it’s a time when many Americans will be enjoying their freedoms on a national holiday.