Columbus AFB Memorial Day retreat

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kaleb Snay
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  A retreat was held May 22, at Columbus Air Force Base in honor of the men and women who have fallen in the line of duty.

The Columbus AFB Memorial Day retreat was held outside at Smith Plaza as personnel from base lined up in formation as the U.S. flag was taken down and folded in honor of those that have been immortalized in the spirit of U.S. military members to this day.

Memorial Day is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May. It was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who died in military service.

On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day. The flag is set at half-staff position in remembrance of the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country.

At noon, their memory is raised by the living U.S. military members, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight.