[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9617 of May 24, 2017

Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Memorial Day is our Nation's solemn reminder that freedom is never free.
It is a moment of collective reflection on the noble sacrifices of those
who gave the last measure of devotion in service of our ideals and in
the defense of our Nation. On this ceremonious day, we remember the
fallen, we pray for a lasting peace among nations, and we honor these
guardians of our inalienable rights.
This year, we commemorate the centennial anniversary of America's entry
into World War I. More than 4.7 million Americans served during The
Great War, representing more than 25 percent of the American male
population between the ages of 18 and 31 at the time. We remember the
more than 100,000 Americans who sacrificed their lives during ``The War
to End All Wars,'' and who left behind countless family members and
loved ones. We pause again to pray for the souls of those heroes who,
one century ago, never returned home after helping to restore peace in
Europe.
On Memorial Day we honor the final resting places of the more than one
million men and women who sacrificed their lives for our Nation, by
decorating their graves with the stars and stripes, as generations have
done since 1868. We also proudly fly America's beautiful flag at our
homes, businesses, and in our community parades to honor their memory.
In doing so, we pledge our Nation's allegiance to the great cause of
freedom for which they fought and ultimately died.
In honor and recognition of all of our fallen service members, the
Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36
U.S.C. 116), has requested the President issue a proclamation calling on
the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of
prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the
people of the United States might unite in prayer. The Congress, by
Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day
as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National
Moment of Remembrance.

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NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 29, 2017, as a day of
prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each
locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in
prayer. I urge the press, radio, television, and all other information
media to cooperate in this observance.
I further ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of
Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.
I also request the Governors of the United States and its Territories,
and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that
the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all
buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and
in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I also request the
people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their
homes for the customary forenoon period.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day
of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.
DONALD J. TRUMP