Memorial Day 2026 History

Today in the United States, May 25th, 2026 is Memorial Day. Memorial Day primarily honors U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the Armed Forces.

This can be during wartime, combat, training accidents, illness, or other circumstances during active service (including peacetime) deployments of both active and reserves.

The day that my Dad would be honored for his service is Veterans Day, which happens every November 11th. Memorial Day is every last Monday in May.

Memorial Day includes the deaths from all American wars and conflicts and has been expanded over time from its Civil War origins as "Decoration Day" in 1868.

In spirit and practice, many people honor all fallen service members broadly on Memorial Day out of respect, but the holiday's core meaning is for those who died in service.

HISTORY OF MY DAD - A DECORATED WWII SOLDIER

Like I said above, Veterans Day would be the Official Day of Remembrance for my Dad, because he did not die while he was serving during wartime. If he had, then I wouldn't be here.

However I'm taking this opportunity to honor him and show you what the New WA image platform (kre8or) I am Beta Testing is capable of. Only a little taste of what it can do.

My Dad Feeding the Displaced Italians - I had kre8or sharpen and enhance an old photograph

The above image is of my Dad. When he served in World War II he was in the segregated U.S. Army stationed in Italy. He was a Buffalo Soldier with the 92nd Infantry Division.

The 92nd ID was instrumental in pushing the Nazis out of Italy, liberating it of the German army occupiers. My Dad was an Engineer by trade and was with the 792nd Ordinance Company.

As a Staff Sergeant, he was in charge of making sure all front line troops were supplied with weapons, ammunition, guns and trucks. An important role in the success of the war.

He was decorated because he solved a serious problems that was occurring on the battlefield during intense combat operations, slowing the progress of the advance.

The Mortar Guns, a long tube that soldiers drop an aerial propelled explosive round into, was cracking the firing plate at the base of the gun. This is what launches the shell.

My father drew up plans and quickly offered his solution to Army HQ. They accepted his design and within weeks new mortar guns were being delivered to front line troops.

MY DAD MET AND MARRIED MY MOM WHILE IN ITALY

The above image, where my Dad is feeding his leftover mess hall food to Italians displaced by the fighting, was in Viareggio, Italy, a coastal city were the 792nd OC was based.

My Mom and my Grandparents, lived in Pietrasanta, Italy, about 20 miles Northwest of Viareggio. One day while feeding the Italian kids, a boy told my Dad about my Mom.

Somehow my Dad found a way to get to Pietrasanta on Army time, and met my Mom. It was love at first sight and he started dating her. My Grandparents loved my Dad.

Once Italy was liberated and the U.S. Army was heading back to America, my Dad asked my Grandfather for permission to marry my Mom. They were married in Pietrasanta.

Buffalo Soldiers March Trough a Liberated Italian village - I had kre8or colorize this picture

A week later my Dad was sent back to America and my Mom, not knowing any English and now pregnant with my oldest Sister, came to America by boat to Ellis Island in New York.

Fortunately my Dad's mom, my Grandmother, worked in a factory in Brooklyn, NY that was owned by an Italian American businessman. She knew many Italian immigrants.

My Grandmother went to Ellis Island, picked up my Mom and had her live with her until my Dad finally arrived back and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army.

From the Italians my Grandmother worked with, they all helped my Mom to start learning English. Even though my Dad had learned to speak Italian, now my Mom was learning English.

HONORING MEMORIAL DAY 2026

Even though Memorial Day is a welcomed day off from work here in America, as well as the start of the Summer vacation season, it is a day we are to remember all those who died in uniform.

Many go to the cemetery to lay flowers and flags, have church services and other military honor parades, it is a day to also get together with friends for festive flag waving barbecues.

In my header photograph, that is the grave site headstone for where my Dad and Mom are buried at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery, in Wrightstown, NJ

When my Dad died in 2002, he was buried with full military honors in a flag draped coffin and with a soldier playing Taps on his bugle. The cemetery allows spouses to be buried there too.

Though I am not going to the cemetery today, it's raining and an hour and a half away, I know for a fact, active duty soldiers have placed an American Flag at every grave site, rain or shine.

So wherever you are in the USA, and if you have a loved one who has died while in uniform, I thank you for their service and sorry for your loss. Memorial Day 2026 is all about them.

Let us come together as a family at our barbecues today and remember all of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. A family that barbecues together, stays together. Leave your comments below.