Leading VA Lender Pays Memorial Day Tribute to Honor Fallen

SALT LAKE CITY, UT, May 27, 2011 (Press-News.org) iFreedom Direct, a Salt Lake-based VA specialty lender, publicly pays tribute to our nation's veterans who fought and died in wars. To honor heroes of war, staff members will be participating in several Memorial Day traditions such as flag at half-staff, flowers on graves and a moment of silence.

The leading VA specialty lender employs many veterans, some who personally knew fallen heroes of war. For the team at iFreedom, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance.

As part of iFreedom's Memorial Day tribute, the company would like to help reiterate the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' sentiments that not only is this a welcome day off for many across the country, but it is a day rich in history and purpose.

Decorating the graves of war heroes may have originated as early as before the end of the Civil War. Since then, many have gathered to honor fallen heroes of war with flowers on graves. Taps has been designated the song that honors the war dead. And, a poem written by WWI Colonel John McCrae inspired the country to adopt the poppy flower as the symbol for honoring those who have fallen in war.

Officially proclaimed "Memorial Day" on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, May 30th was intended to be a day of placing flowers on graves and remembering those who died in the Civil War. Many wars have come and gone since then, and Memorial Day now honors those who died fighting in any war.

The Department puts the total number of war dead at 1,343,812 since the beginning of U.S. conflicts. The following is a list of the number of troops who have died in each war:

-American Revolutionary War - 22,674
- War of 1812 - 11,700
- American Civil War - 618,000
- Spanish-American War - 5,385
- Philippine-American War - 4,196
- World War I - 117,465
- World War II - 418,500
- Korean War - 36,516
- Vietnam War - 58,159
- Gulf War - 382
- War on Terror (Iraq and Afghanistan) - 5,796

iFreedom Direct Sales Manager, Tim Lewis, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom says, "A traditional Memorial Day of honoring war heroes who died for our country has special meaning for us. Anyone who raises their right hand and swears an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and is willing to die for our freedom deserves special recognition. That amazing act puts Memorial Day in perspective."

iFreedom Direct asks that everyone who shares respect for the services offered by the Veterans please join with its employees in taking a moment to remember those service members who have died in U.S. conflicts and their loved ones affected by the loss.

iFreedom provides many brave men and women of our country with federally-backed mortgages through the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program. Veterans' mortgages are available only to eligible retired and active duty military personnel and certain surviving spouses, including those widowed by veterans who died at war. To learn more about VA loans from iFreedom Direct, visit www.directvaloans.com. NMLS# 3122.