I have to dedicate this one to my good friend Tom, who asked me to investigate this very thing.

So I learned that Memorial Day is a very old tradition, stretching back to May 5, 1868, after the end of the US Civil War. It was suggested and granted that a day be set aside to honor all of the fallen soldiers of that war. It wasn't until the end of World War I that the meaning was changed to honor soldiers from all American wars.

Orignially, the rememberance was called Decoration Day, as it was tradition to decorate the graves of the fallen soldiers. It was also originally observed on May 30, supposedly because on that day it was likely that flowers would be in bloom all over the country. It was not until 1971 that an act of Congress established it as an official national holiday, moved it to the last Monday in May, and renamed it Memorial Day; though many still refer to it as Decoration Day.

There are several traditions used to observe, including placing flowers on graves and flying flags at half-mast. It is in conjunction with this holiday that the song "Taps" has become known. The poppy flower has become "the flower of rememberance" as a result of the poem, "In Flanders Fields" and both are now well associated with Memorial Day.

After all of the reading I have done, it seems to me the most important thing to remember is that remembering is the most important thing we can do.  There are thousands of men and women who have died in service to our country and that is what we honor on this holiday.