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https://blog.myheritage.com/2026/05/enjoy-free-access-to-u-s-military-records-on-myheritage-for-memorial-day/
From May 22–26, 2026, MyHeritage is opening free access to 35 U.S. military record collections containing more than 213 million historical records.
Even if you only have a few minutes, pick one ancestor and see what else you can learn about his or her military service.
How well do you know your hometown and the nearby towns and counties? I grew up 10 miles from Waterloo, New York in Seneca County. Learn about Waterloo and its claim to fame about Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day. Where ever and whenever this tradition started, I'm glad we pause to remember our ancestors and others who served.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterloo_(village),_New_York
https://time.com/5291026/memorial-day-started-birthplace-history/
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has an excellent webpage with Memorial Day history.
https://www.cem.va.gov/history/Memorial-Day-history.asp#MemorialDay
Explore the VA site to also learn more about veterans' burial and memorial benefits, info about headstones/ markers/ medallions in various types of cemeteries, and how to request service records.
Glad to see some flags already displayed for this long Memorial Day weekend. Check this link for other 2026 flag-flying days:
https://www.flags.com/Flag-Flying-Days-Holidays-Flag-Flying-Calendar-Half-Staff-Alerts?srsltid=AfmBOooPspBhxwfpcO-N0vG6CiCKa7V9e-o4h52Nl0Io5vNr-QhzNMtU
The 250th anniversary of the United States (July 4, 2026) is officially known as the Semiquincentennial. It marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. There is a focus on resources to research ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War on both sides. Here are a few that might help:
