Remembering those who died in service to our country

A statuette of a kneeling soldier offers reflection year-round outside the American Legion Post 199 in Edwardsville.

Today is Memorial Day, an American holiday observed annually on the last Monday of May. It honors those men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.

The holiday was originally known as Decoration Day and began after the Civil War, becoming an official federal holiday in 1971.

Many Americans observe Memorial Day with visits to cemeteries or participation in parades like the one in Alton, which is the nation’s longest continuous Memorial Day parade.

The holiday, too, marks the beginning of the summer season, with traditional opening of pools around the area and the end of the school year.

Illinois Business Journal photo/Dennis Grubaugh