McGrath, if you will follow the link in one of the earlier postings about the history of Memorial Day it will answer amny questions. The following is an excerpt from the site:

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans – the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) – established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared it should be May 30. It is believed the date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.

The document in which General Logan made his declaration was General Order 11. As early as 1866 many Southern States had already set aside APril 25 as a day to honor their fallen. Confederate Memorial Day is now observed on April 26 here in the state of Florida. It used to be know as Decoration Day. As for November 11 having significance; obviously it doesn't any more or it would be observed on the 11th and not the nearest Monday, regardless of the date. I can't wait (and won't be a damn bit surprised) til some ingeneous bean counter figures out that we could probably celebrate July 4th on some other day!!! Like Big Mick, I ask: What's sense of having days set aside for certain ceremonies when any ass in the government can change them at will???

Let us not get off track in this thread. If we want to discuss the frailities of our government let's take it to another thread and leave tis on for Memorial Day to itself.