Shiloh Battlefield to Commemorate Memorial Day with a Weekend of Activities

May 23, 2023

Shiloh's weekend of special events and commemorative activities will begin on Saturday, May 26th, and continue through the afternoon of Sunday, May 27th. From 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:00 am – 3:00 pm on Sunday, living historians will present programs on the front lawn of the Shiloh Battlefield Visitor Center. Arms, uniforms, and equipment from the Revolutionary War through World War Two will be on display. The public is invited to visit with these historians and ask questions to learn more about the military experiences of Americans through time.

 

Included in this special weekend program will be live firing demonstrations of the strikingly different shoulder firearms used by American soldiers during the different wars. Live fire programs will be presented each day at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Shiloh National Military Park will officially commemorate Memorial Day by hosting remembrance ceremonies on Monday, May 29th, in the Shiloh National Cemetery. "This annual Memorial Day event provides the opportunity to reflect upon all the personal sacrifices this nation's military service personnel and their families have unselfishly made to protect our freedoms," said Acting Superintendent Stacy Allen.

Everyone is invited to bring their lawn chairs or blankets and join us for one of the longest continually running Memorial Day services in West Tennessee. The one-hour ceremony will start at 11:00 a.m., and feature a military flag presentation, music by the Kossuth High School Jazz Band and the Adamsville First Baptist Church Children's Choir, a keynote speaker, a firing salute, and the playing of Taps.

 

This year’s keynote speaker will be Brigadier General Cassandra D. Howard, who serves as the Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs. General Howard advises both the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight and the Director, Defense Health Agency on Joint Reserve Component matters ensuring mission ready personnel. In this capacity, General Howard also provides oversight for the development of policies, plans, and programs within the Department of Defense, Military Health System ensuring Total Force medical readiness for Reserve Component military service members. Key areas of focus include force health protection, national disaster support, deployment medicine, international health, and medical research and development. She is a critical liaison enabling synchronization between Joint medical leaders of both Active and Reserve components across the Department of Defense.

Dr. Howard is a member of the Tennessee Air National Guard and as a traditional guardsman, currently serves the civilian sector as Chief Medical Officer at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis.

 

Following the Memorial Day service, park rangers will be offering free guided programs and demonstrations in the afternoon. A complete schedule is attached to this news release and will also be available at the ranger contact station in the visitor center.

 

The National Park Service invites the public to journey to Shiloh throughout the Memorial Day weekend to participate in the various activities, and to remember the American military service personnel who have died in the service to our nation. For more information, please call the park visitor center at 731-689-5696 or go to www.nps.gov/shil or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shilohnmp and Twitter @ShilohNPS.