Today is Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, a federal holiday to remember the men and women who died while serving in the armed forces.

Facilities that are open on the holiday must fly the U.S. flag at half-staff. The POW-MIA flag must fly below the U.S. flag. Memorial Day is one of six dates of the yar

The U.S. flag must be flown at half-staff from sunrise — or the hour when it’s raised — until noon. Then, hoist the flag to the peak of the staff, where it either must fly until the time of closing or no later than sunset (unless the flag is lighted).

Facilities that fly the flag at all times and are closed Memorial Day should lower the flag to half-staff when the facility closes prior to the holiday. Return the flag to full staff when the facility opens Tuesday, May 28.

Memorial Day holds special significance for USPS, one of the nation’s largest civilian employers of military veterans. More than 100,000 employees have served on active duty or currently serve in the National Guard or Reserve components.

First widely celebrated each year on May 30, Memorial Day originally honored veterans who had died in the Civil War.

Congress designated the commemoration as a national holiday in 1887. After World War I, the day was expanded to honor service members who died in all American wars.

In 1968, Congress changed the observance of the holiday from May 30 to the last Monday in May.