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DES MOINES, Iowa--Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen participated in this year's Memorial Day Service, dubbed "The Cost of Freedom", held at the Ft. Des Moines Museum and Education Center, Thursday, May 27.
Keynote speaker for this year's Memorial Day event was Brig. Gen. Roma J. Amundson, Assistant Adjutant General for the Nebraska Army National Guard. Amundson began her career in the Women's Army Corps in 1978 in the Army Reserve before moving through the ranks to her current assignment.
Amundson said she feels the spirit of the WAC at Fort Des Moines, the first training facility of its kind, which began training women in 1943 for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, later shortened to WAC. Fort Des Moines was also the first Officer Candidate School open to African Americans, starting in 1917.
"This museum underscores, if you will, the desire of all groups of citizens to serve our nation through uniformed service in times of war." Said Amundson, adding "And that is what we are here for today – to remember the fallen warriors who gave their lives to preserve and protect our nation as a constitutional republic that offers its citizens the freedoms and rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Memorial Day originated as "Decoration Day" to remember those who have died in the service of our nation. After the Civil War, the Decoration Day movement was started by a Pharmacist in Waterloo, N.Y., who suggested patriots who died in the war should be honored by decorating their graves. This idea took hold, and on May 5, 1866, veterans led a processional to the town's graveyards, the flags were lowered to half-staff, and townspeople adorned veteran's graves with homemade wreaths, crosses, and flowers. The name was changed to Memorial Day in 1882 to honor the dead from all wars, and later in 1971, Congress declared it a national holiday to be observed on the last Monday in May.
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.03.2010 15:52 |
| Story ID: | 50807 |
| Location: | DES MOINES, IOWA, US |
| Web Views: | 202 |
| Downloads: | 185 |
This work, The Cost of Freedom, by SGT Joe Villines, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
