Honoring Fresno’s fallen heroes

Dozens attended the 56th Annual VFW Memorial Day Service, held at Fresno Memorial Gardens on Monday near Fresno.

Once dubbed Decoration Day, Memorial Day commemorates U.S. service members who died on active duty, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Enacted originally to honor Union and Confederate soldiers after the Civil War, Memorial Day was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars.

For many like Fresno’s Sandy Holt, Memorial Day also was a special opportunity to honor loved ones. Her husband, Herbert, served 25 years in the Air Force, and 17 years as a Fresno County sheriff’s deputy. He passed away eight months ago.

For others like Fresno’s Shannon McKenzie it was a chance to pay respects to those who died in service, whether he knew them or not. McKenzie cleared the markers of several grave sites Monday, none of whom he knew.