James J.S. Phillips was a 20-year-old Civil War veteran who saw 20 battles before his death and burial at Bethel Cemetery in Bethel Park.

Mr. Phillips, who served with Company I, 155th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, died in a skirmish at Hatchers Run, Va. He is one of more than a dozen veterans who were killed in battle and buried in Bethel Cemetery, a site that will be visited at the end of this year's annual Memorial Day parade in that community. His name and the others will be read that day, along with the names of veterans who died within a year since the last ceremony.

Veterans Day honors all vets, but Memorial Day is a specific time to remember the veterans who gave their lives for our country, said John Kovach Jr., head custodian at Bethel Memorial Elementary School and who organizes activities. He said some people think the day is a time for remembering all deaths.

The Civil War will be remembered in a letter to be read at that day's ceremony, held at 8 a.m. at the veterans memorial in front of the Bethel Park municipal building before the start of the parade.

The letter was written in July 1861 to his wife by Sullivan Ballou, a Rhode Island major who knew that he might not survive the next fight, which happened to be the Battle of Bull Run, said Bethel Park Councilman Mark O'Brien, who assists Mr. Kovach.

"When my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, I'll whisper your name," Mr. Ballou wrote.

"Do not mourn me as dead. Think that I am gone and wait for me. For we shall meet again." He was regrettably accurate in his prediction and died in the battle.

The letter will be read aloud by Mr. O'Brien's daughter, Robin Gassau, of Cokeburg, Washington County, while another daughter, Christine O'Brien, of Bethel Park, plays the violin.

John Hollis, a former Bethel Park student, will play Taps; the high school band will give another rendition.

Both Mr. Kovach and Mr. O'Brien said they wanted to get young people involved in the service. "We want to show them patriotism and that we're good Americans. They're our future," Mr. Kovach said.

Before being the organizer, Mr. Kovach participated in Memorial Day ceremonies by reading General Order 11, which established Decoration Day, the occasion's former name because it was dedicated to decorating veterans who died in service for our nation.

The order came May 5, 1868, from Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. There was an observation at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30 that year and Gen. James Garfield made a speech.

Although President Lyndon B. Johnson officially declared Waterloo, N.Y., to be the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1966, other towns have laid claim to the honor.

In Waterloo, the day was suggested by druggist Henry C. Welles. The town embraced the idea, observing May 5 by bringing wreaths, crosses and bouquets to the cemetery and flying flags at half mast. A procession led by veterans proceeded to the community's cemetery.

States in the South honored their dead on other days until after World War I, when the occasion was changed from a day for remembering the Civil War deaths to a day to honor those who died in any war.

Bethel Park is known for paying proper respect to veterans. A memorial sits outside the municipal building. Its rededication and the adding of seven names, will be part of the ceremony.

Mr. O'Brien never served in the Armed Forces but is known as an enthusiastic friend and lobbyist on behalf of the local veterans groups.

Mr. Kovach joined the Marines when he was 17 and served 15 months in Guam. He was also stationed for nine months in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He also took Marine Corps special forces reserve training in Panama.

He joined the National Guard and retired in 1993 after 22 years of military service. He spent much of the time in military intelligence and can't talk about a lot of what he did when he was in.

His sons are carrying on the military tradition. John III, a former Marine Corps officer, will enter the Army Officer Candidate School training program. Jacob is joining the border patrol in New Mexico run by Homeland Security. Joshua is serving in the Navy in Seattle.