OTAN News
Memorial Day Message
OTAN is closed Monday, May 27th in memory of those who gave their lives while serving the United States.
What is the difference between Memorial and Veteran’s Day?
Memorial Day, designated May 30, 1868, by Union Army Major General John Logan to honor those who died in the armed forces. Later as a Senator, Logan designated this day a federal holiday “for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country.” Senator Logan inaugurated the observance with these words, “...with the hope it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades.” This observance has continued and is now observed on the last Monday of May each year.
In contrast, Veteran’s Day honors all those who served America in all wars and did not necessarily die in battle. It's commemorated each year on November 11 observing the end of combat in World War I. Originally designated as Armistice Day, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill which officially changed the name of the holiday and broadened its purpose to include veterans of all wars serving in the United States military.