Memorial Day is an American holiday honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
The annual observance will be held on Monday, May 31, 2021 at 9am at the Veterans Memorial at Frisco Commons Park.
Color Guard members: (L-R) John Ricca, Thor Anderson, Fred Rogers, Larry Wilhelm (Color Guard Captain), Terry Gilbert, and Ted Ruybal.
The American Legion Post 178 Color Guard presented the Nation’s colors and Commander Fred Rogers provided an Armed Forces Day program on Friday, May 15, 2021 for many of the residents at the Frisco Prairie Estates Skilled Nursing facility. The facility is a 180-bed, 24-hour senior living center. Post 178 has provided a program since it was founded in 2014. The participatory program included resident acknowledgements of family members who had served or were currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, Frisco Commons Park, Frisco, TX
Photographer-Vice Commander Ed Reed
The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument dedication ceremony was held on May 13, 2021 at Frisco Commons Park, Frisco, TX. The Post 178 Color Guard had the honor of presenting our Nation’s colors.
Post 178 Color Guard (L-R) Commander Fred Rogers, Ted Ruybal, Larry Wilhelm,
Color Guard Captain, and Terry Gilbert. Photographer-Jeanie Beal
Gold Star Family members and relatives are those who have sacrificed a loved one for our freedom. The monument honors the families of servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives while serving in the military. It is located to the west of the Veterans Memorial.
The Gold Star Family Memorial was created by Medal of Honor Recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams to remember those families who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The public was invited and encouraged to attend the groundbreaking and dedication celebrations.
The memorial monument is a two-sided tribute made of black granite. One side bears the words: Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, a tribute to Gold Star Families and Relatives who sacrificed a loved one for our Freedom. The other side tells a story through the four granite panels: Homeland, Family, Patriot, and Sacrifice.
The monument provides a place of permanence for Gold Star Families to gather and utilize the monument through outreach events. It can also educate the public about Gold Star Families’ enduring sacrifices and the ultimate sacrifice made by their loved ones.
On May 7, 1945, the Allied forces of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union forced the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. The following day, May 8, citizens around the world celebrated the news of “Victory in Europe (V-E) Day.” It celebrated the formal acceptance by the Allies of Germany’s surrender of its armed forces, marking the end of World War II in Europe. It was the first hurdle on the path to ending World War II.
V-E Day was by no means the end of the war. It would be another four months before Japan would surrender to the Allies in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, known as “Victory over Japan (V-J) Day.”
May 8 had been a long time coming. The tide had changed in favor of the Allies after the Soviets held back the German army at Stalingrad, in a bitter five-month campaign in 1942-43. With the Nazi war machine checked, there was light at the end of the tunnel. However, for two more years battles raged on land, sea, and in the air. Millions of people would lose their lives. Cities, towns, whole communities were lost overnight.
At the World War II Memorial, 24 bas-relief sculptures recount the progress of United States war effort. The last bas-relief depicts the overwhelming excitement of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and civilians alike on V-J day, but it easily translates to the emotions felt and expressed on V-E Day.
V-E Day is celebrated every year. During anniversary observances, fewer and fewer of those who witnessed it are with us. Visiting the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC ensures that while their presence may be soon lost, their legacy will remain.
National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, May 7, 2021, is a presidentially approved holiday and is celebrated annually on the Friday before Mother’s Day. On this day we honor the contributions and sacrifices made by military spouses.
Their commitment and support help to keep our country safe. America’s military spouses are the backbone of the families who support our troops during mission, deployment, reintegration and reset. Military spouses are silent heroes who are essential to the strength of the nation, and they serve our country just like their loved ones. If you know one, thank them on behalf on a grateful nation.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan recognized the profound importance of spousal commitment to the readiness and well-being of military members. Congress officially made Military Spouse Appreciation Day part of National Military Appreciation Month in 1999. Subsequently, the Department of Defense standardized the date by declaring the Friday before Mother’s Day every year as “Military Spouse Appreciation Day” to show appreciation for the sacrifices of military spouses.