Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.
Memorial Day 2021 will occur on Monday, May 31.
Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.

Leaving for Camp Logan WWI
Several of Manning's Civil War Veterans lead the way for several WWI boys heading to basic training.
It is hard to see but in the back right is the Christian Church.
It stood on the corner of Second & May Streets from 1887 - 1920.

WWI Homecoming parade 1919 - north end of Main Street - August Reinke's blacksmith shop back left.

181 of Manning's 360+ WWI soldiers posed after their homecoming parade in 1919 on Main Street.

South bank of the present day Rec Center splash pad.

What is so sad is that I can't get people to identify their granddads or great-uncles in this picture.
Maybe people can ID their relative/s but just don't think it is important to get me the names.

This group is not quite half of all the Manning connected boys who served during WWI.

These are the names who paid the ultimate price and never made it back home alive.
Emil Ewoldt, Albert Dethlefs, William Wulf, Fred Passick, Louie Rowedder, Arthur Stang, Bernhardt Stuhr, Julius Vinke

Remember that during this "Great War" the Spanish Influenza Pandemic was raging throughout the world, with some of the soldiers surviving the war but dying from the influenza.
500,000,000 people were infected worldwide (1/3 of the population at that time in 4 consecutive waves), and there was no way to accurately track the number of deaths that ranged from 20,000,000 up to 100,000,000.

When I get a chance and find someone who I have their ear for a few moments, I tell them how sacred this area is of the new Rec Center Splash Pad.

I continue to work on the Manning Veterans history book project - even though it appears all interest by the general public is lost...I continue to plug away and am still asking for military pictures and information for the over 1000 Manning connected Veterans.

So if you want to be in the Manning Veterans' book or are a family member of a deceased Manning Veteran, and have NOT yet brought me military pictures and information to scan and use in the book - please do so ASAP!

This will be my 3rd Manning history book and will be the most unique of all in a two-volume set.

So don't wait - at some point in time I'll start laying out the book and then it will be TOO LATE if you submit your information at that point.

Someday before I use it in the Manning Veterans' book, I'll have to restore this program.
These are the types of military items I wish more people would bring to me to scan and preserve and also use in the Veterans' book.

G.A.R. Grand Army of the Republic
W.R.C. Woman's Relief Corps

May 21, 1892
WILL DECORATE.
McPherson Post NO. 33, G. A. R., have decided to observe Decoration Day. Indeed, the old guard have never failed to observe the day at home but once since the organization of the Post. There are but few of the veterans left in this locality, but they hold sacred this day, set apart to bedeck the graves of the comrades, whom they will shortly be with in the rendezvous, with flowers. It is a beautiful custom and the government only paid a partial tribute of respect in making it a legal observance day. A good program will be prepared and the exercises will be held at the fair grounds if the weather permits.
The program will be published in the MONITOR next week.
Memorial Day will also be observed, and the sermon will be preached at the Presbyterian Church one week from tomorrow by Rev. A.J. Burnett.
The old veterans desire the MONITOR to extend for them an invitation to all to be present on the occasion - the last Sunday in May at 11 o'clock A.M.

April 23, 1891
A FLAG PRESENTATION.
On Friday (tomorrow) afternoon McPherson Post and the Woman's Relief Corps will present the school of Manning with a large and beautiful flag and arrangements have been perfected to make it an imposing affair. The Post and Corps will arrive at the school house at 2 o'clock and proceed to the high school room. After invocation by Rev. I.M. O'Flyng, the Post, Corps, and schools will march out and take position about the steps. A number of recitations and patriotic songs will be tendered. The presentation of the flag will be made by Mrs. O'Flyng, President of the Corps; and accepted by Miss Garrett, Principal of the schools. "America" will then be sung by the entire assemblage, after which the flag will be raised by the Post. The exercises will be very interesting and all citizens who possibly can should attend. Long may the flag wave.