Happy Memorial Day

General Machinery would like to wish you a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.

In observance of Memorial Day, we will be closed Monday, May 30th. We will resume our regular schedule on Tuesday, May 31st. As always we will have someone on call to assist you with your emergency needs.

Memorial Day Facts:

• Memorial Day is one of the few days flags are ordered to fly at half-staff then full-staff.

At sunrise, anyone flying a flag should raise the flag briskly to full-staff then slowly lower the flag to half-staff. This is to honor the men and women who have fallen in the line of duty. At noon, the flag should be briskly raised to full-staff. This is to salute all of those who have served.

• Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day.

The holiday was long known as Decoration Day thanks to the practice of decorating graves with flowers, wreaths, and flags. The name "Memorial Day" goes back to 1882, but the older name didn't completely disappear until after World War II. It wasn't until 1967 that federal law declared "Memorial Day" the official name.

• Memorial Day Was Declared a National Holiday in 1971

In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday, placing it as the last Monday in May. According to the VA, the day was expanded to honor all those who have died in American wars. Congress in December 2000 passed and the president signed into law "The National Moment of Remembrance Act," to ensure those who sacrificed their lives for the country were not forgotten.

• There is also an official time to remember the lost each year on Memorial Day.

The official National Moment of Remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time around the country.