Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation’s gratitude, the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.

JOHN A. LOGAN, Commander-in-Chief
HEADQUARTERS GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
General Orders No.11, WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 1868
In the 147 years since the first Memorial Day, much of the meaning around the day has been lost. For our next fiction contest we’re asking entrants to help remember those we have lost, the heroes of wars past and present.
Your mission is to tell a tale of American valor. You may choose any war and any time period (including the future or an alternate timeline), use any genre, and any point-of-view–as long as the core of the story is an appreciation of the members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The best entries will be featured in Liberty Island’s Memorial Day release, and may be collected in a themed anthology in the future–so be sure to send us your best stuff. And we’ll pick one overall best story and the winning author will receive a gift package of Liberty Island swag.
Entries are due Monday, May 18th. Length should be between 1,000 and 5,000 words. Email entries to [email protected]; please put "Memorial Day Contest" in the subject line.
Good luck!