The Meaning of Memorial DayAfter the Civil War, the Commander of the Union Army declared May 30 would be Decoration Day, a day to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags and to remember their sacrifice. By the late-1800s, this day was interchangeably referred to as Decoration Day or Memorial Day. After World War I, it came to be treated as a day to honor fallen veterans from all wars. During World War II, Eastwood businesses raised money and erected a monument in Greenway Park listing the names of all Eastwood residents who were fighting in the war. After the war ended, the Eastwood Legion and Eastwood Lions raised money for the current monument memorializing fallen veterans, which was installed in 1947. For several years following World War II, Syracuse held a Memorial Day Parade downtown, leading to and ending at Oakwood Cemetery with a service to honor fallen veterans. By the mid-1950s, the City’s only Memorial Day Parade moved to Eastwood, ending at our monument in Greenway Veterans Memorial Park and organized annually by Eastwood American Legion Post 1276, a tradition they have maintained for nearly 70 years. In 1968, Congress officially designated Memorial Day as a federal holiday to fall on the last Monday each May. Memorial Day remains a day to reflect upon and honor those who gave their life in service to our country.
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