PRIEST RIVER — Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May each year to honor those who died while serving in the United States military.

According to the original proclamation made by Gen. John A. Logan on May 5, 1868, Memorial Day is “designed for the purpose of strewing flowers and otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in the defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.”

Joseph English, VFW Post 2909 and Priest River Veterans Honor Guard commander, read the proclamation during the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River. Along with a group from American Legion Post 217 in Cusick, Wash., the Priest River Veterans Honor Guard hosts the ceremony each year to pay tribute to the more than one million American soldiers who have been killed in combat.

A small group of veterans, their families and other community members gathered as the proclamation was read, the song “Taps” was played, the American Legion performed the 21-gun salute and a wreath and flag were placed at the cemetery’s memorial stone.

It was a full day of ceremonies for the Honor Guard as they began the day at Seneacquoteen Cemetery before moving on to Evergreen, and then helping out Post 217 in Newport, the Cusick Indian Reservation and Cusick American Legion Hall.

The Memorial Day tradition at Evergreen Cemetery was overseen for many years by former VFW Post 2909 Commander Henry Bergdorf, who served 18 terms as post commander in Priest River after World War II. English relieved Bergdorf and took over as commander about 16 years ago.

As of January 2015, Bergdorf is one of more than 500 veterans buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.