Today, as we observe Memorial Day, we pay tribute to the courageous individuals who gave their lives to defend our nation and uphold its values. The origins of this day date back to the 1860s, in the years following the Civil War and the first national observance was held in 1868. However, one of the earliest accounts is from October 1864, when three women in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, placed flowers at the graves of two Union soldiers. They decided to decorate the graves of all the fallen soldiers and returned to do the same the following year.