Most northern states and some Southern States observe it on the last Mon. I M-Day has also been Poppy Day . I after a bloody battle in a field of poppies called Flanders Field in Belgium. Veterans of military service have organized support groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars . On V-Day and Memorial Day , these groups raise funds for their charitable activities by selling paper poppies made by disabled veterans.
People place flowers and flags on the graves of military personnel.
Military parades and programs, including the reading of President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Addressare are held, especially at Gettysburg National Military Park and at the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Arlington is the nation's largest national cemetery. Some communities hold parades and others hold memorial services or special programs in churches, schools or other public meeting places. Its also a day for personal remembrance. To many Americans it signals the beginning of summer.