Author: Sam Buisman

Wisconsin officials hold virtual and socially-distanced Memorial Day celebrations to honor our fallen troops while abiding by public health recommendations.

Both the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs held online commemorations recognizing those from Wisconsin and across the county who laid down their lives in service to the US military, featuring video addresses from Governor Tony Evers and Wisconsin Secretary-designee of Veterans Affairs Mary Kolar. In addition, socially-distanced volunteers continued Wisconsin's tradition of placing flags on the graves of fallen service members inside the state's veterans' cemeteries.

In her remarks to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, Secretary Kolar emphasized that this pandemic cannot and does not diminish the sacrifice of these soldiers. 

“Our ceremonies are certainly different this year, but the meaning behind them remains the same,” said Kolar. “We still can honor and express our sincerest gratitude to the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coastguardsmen who died in defense of our nation and our values.”

Other prominent Wisconsin politicians, including Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes and Wisconsin National Guard Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, also helped host the Department of Veterans Affairs' Facebook livestream.  

The United States' Memorial Day tradition began after the Civil War, when ad-hoc community groups organized to decorate the graves of soldiers who died in battle. The first nation-wide celebration was held on May 30, 1868, and the day became a federal holiday in 1971.