Members of the Barnstable Police Department take part in Memorial Day ceremonies in Hyannis
DENNIS – The rain dampened some Memorial Day ceremonies across Cape Cod Monday, but many went on as scheduled to honor the fallen men and women of the Armed Forces.
Events included parades, speeches and solemn ceremonies.
In Mashpee, the town’s ceremony was moved inside town hall from the Veterans Garden at the Mashpee Community Park because of the rain.
Mashpee Town Manager Rodney Collins said this was a day to honor all who have served.
“Today we honor those who have left us, their memories shall never fade. And we also respect the veterans who have served,” he said.
Collins said all veterans answered the call to defend the qualities the nation was founded on. He also remembered former President John F. Kennedy, who would have been 100 on Monday.
Collins noted that Kennedy was also a decorated veteran.
VFW Commander Steven Koglin talked about the history of the holiday.
“It is this day that we honor those who gave all in defense of their country,” said Koglin.
He said those who gave their lives fought for something greater than themselves.
Memorial Day ceremonies in Dennis were also moved inside to the town hall, where speeches were made urging everyone to honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Brewster State Representative Tim Whelan, a U.S. Marine veteran, said many gave their lives for our nation.
“It’s an opportunity for us to remember them and be grateful for what they have sacrificed. And not just those who have given all that they had, but also it’s a good opportunity for us to remember the families they leave behind,” said Whelan.
Among those speaking in Dennis was Harry Watling, who served in both the Army and the Navy.
“It’s tough to put in words, but it means respect and remember those that died for the freedom we enjoy now,” said Watling.
In Hyannis, Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops held their annual 24-hour event at the KMart Plaza in Hyannis. Various public safety, law enforcement agencies and military members stood at attention in shifts around the clock.
At the JFK Memorial in Hyannis, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice were remembered, as was President John F. Kennedy, who was a decorated World War II veteran.
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Trust Fund gave out their annual scholarship to Barnstable High School senior Daniel Loiselle, who echoed the words of Kennedy’s inauguration address during his acceptance speech.
Other events were held across Cape Cod on Monday in Chatham, Brewster, Falmouth, Eastham, Harwich, Sandwich, Orleans, Yarmouth, Provincetown and Wellfleet.
Memorial Day ceremonies at Dennis town hall
The first Memorial Day can be traced to three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, that’s when the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers.
Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y. as the “birthplace” of Memorial Day in 1966.
It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery.
A ceremony there on May 5, 1866, honored local veterans who had fought in the Civil War. Businesses closed and residents flew flags at half-staff.
Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress in 1971.
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