it was Decoration Day in the 1940's and 50's. I did hear it called Memorial Day occasionally, but Decoration Day was what most called it. We decorated family graves with flowers for the holiday; wasn't limited to slain servicemen. We also had VFW members downtown selling "buddy poppies" for your lapel the week before Decoration Day to remember those slain in WWI. The plastic poppies were assembled by disabled or needy veterans who received funds from the donations.

Do schools still teach the poem, "In Flander's Field," describing blowing red fields among the battleground of the fallen? We had to memorize it.