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On the last Monday of May, Americans celebrate Memorial Day, honoring those who have died for this great nation while serving in combat. The holiday began in 1868, when General Order No. 11 was promulgated by General John Logan, commanding that May 30th would be a day for "strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country."

Although begun as an honor primarily for Union Soldiers who died in the Civil War, this holiday, initially called "Decoration Day," was recognized by both North and South on the last day of Monday by the end of World War I. The holiday eventually spread to include the fallen of all wars, and became known with time as Memorial Day.

Even though a certain contemporary president may only wish to invoke military status when threatened with a lawsuit, there are others in the nation's capitol-- both Democrats and Republicans-- who have served our nation in a more honorable way. The story of John McCain's five years as a prisoner of war and Bob Dole's wounding in a raid against the Germans in northern Italy in 1945 serve as inspiring reminders of the lengths we must go to, should our nation beckon. Other veterans of the U.S. wars of our include Representative Sam Johnson of Texas, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, and Senator Kerry of Nebraska.

In the words of General John Logan, "let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor... if other eyes should grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remains in us."