Memorial Day 2025
Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May, is a day Americans honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2024 occurred on Monday, May 26.
Memorial Day
History, Info, Speeches & Music
What is the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?
The federal holidays of Veterans Day and Memorial Day are both designed to celebrate members of the U.S. military, but there are a few key differences. Memorial Day, which took shape after the Civil War, is considered a day to honor those who were killed in or as a result of participating in battle. Veterans Day, which materialized at the end of World War I, is a day to honor all service men and women, but especially those who remain with us to share their experiences.
Did you know? Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day
The federal holidays of Veterans Day and Memorial Day are both designed to celebrate members of the U.S. military, but there are a few key differences. Memorial Day, which took shape after the Civil War, is considered a day to honor those who were killed in or as a result of participating in battle. Veterans Day, which materialized at the end of World War I, is a day to honor all service men and women, but especially those who remain with us to share their experiences.
Did you know? Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day
Decoration Day
On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans known as the "Grand Army of the Republic", called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month by GAR "General Orders No. 11 or the "Memorial Day Act". This issuance formally established "Memorial Day" as a Decoration Day on which the nation would remember its war dead and decorate their graves with flowers
General Logan proclaimed “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,”
The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen by General Logan because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. Additionally, flowers used to decorate graves at this time of year were bountiful.
General Logan proclaimed “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,”
The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen by General Logan because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. Additionally, flowers used to decorate graves at this time of year were bountiful.
On the first Decoration Day, May 30th, 1873, General James Garfield (accompanied by General Logan) made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery's Ampitheater, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there.
Many northern states held similar commemorative events and reprised the tradition in subsequent years; by 1890 each one had made Decoration Day an official state holiday. Southern states, on the other hand, continued to honor the dead on separate dates until after World War I.
Many northern states held similar commemorative events and reprised the tradition in subsequent years; by 1890 each one had made Decoration Day an official state holiday. Southern states, on the other hand, continued to honor the dead on separate dates until after World War I.
Detail of a stereograph showing President Ulysses S. Grant and General John Logan seated at the flag-draped Old Amphitheater, Arlington Cemetery, on Decoration Day, May 30, 1873. (Library of Congress)
View of National Cemetery at Arlington, 1870.
Library of Congress
Decoration Day Postcards - Circa 1907-1914
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, and grew to include hundreds of "posts" (local community units) across the North and West. It was dissolved in 1956 at the death of its last member, Albert Woolson
History of Memorial Day
Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, Memorial Day is our national holiday that honors all fallen veterans, from past conflicts as well as from natural death of the veteran.
For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.
Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, Memorial Day is our national holiday that honors all fallen veterans, from past conflicts as well as from natural death of the veteran.
For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date General Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.
The sign reads "Welcome to Waterloo, N.Y.". The U.S. federal government declared Waterlook, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day for starting the tradition of Memorial Day services in 1866.
A group of girls show their patriotic red, white and blue costumes in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, 1904. One girl holds a flag of the United States for a Memorial Day honor guard.
A crowd watches an army parade on Memorial Day, 1942, in Washington, D.C.
A U.S. soldier plays taps at the Luxembourg American Cemetary on May 30, 1946 in a Memorial Day service honoring the American soldiers who gave their lives in World War II.
A young woman lies down on the grave of U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Noah Pier on Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery May 31, 2010. Pier was killed Feb. 12, 2010 in Marja, Afghanistan.
A volunteer at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial comforts a U.S. Marine who lost a friend during the Vietnam War in Washington, D.C., May 26, 1996
Memorial Day Ceremony in Normandy, France 2012
Reflect On Countless Sacrifices Made
So We Can Live Free
"Freedom Has A Cost" speech, President Ronald Reagan
"Remember the Fallen", commentary by Presidents Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden
Hymn to the Fallen...
On this day, Memorial Day, all of us should take a moment to reflect on those of us who served our great country. The GLVFA motto of "All gave some, some gave all" is a fitting thought on our National Day of Remembrance to our fallen heroes.
God Bless America
Irving Berlin wrote the song while serving in the U.S. Army at Camp Upton in Yaphank, New York at the end of World War I, but decided that it did not fit in a revue called Yip Yip Yaphank, so he set it aside. The lyrics at that time included the line "Make her victorious on land and foam, God bless America..." as well as "Stand beside her and guide her to the right with the light from above".
In 1938, with the rise of Adolf Hitler, Irving Berlin, who was Jewish and had arrived in the U.S. from Russia at the age of five, felt it was time to revive it as a "peace song", and it was introduced on an Armistice Day broadcast in 1938, sung by Kate Smith on her radio show. (PLEASE WATCH, Very Inspiring Presentation)
In 1938, with the rise of Adolf Hitler, Irving Berlin, who was Jewish and had arrived in the U.S. from Russia at the age of five, felt it was time to revive it as a "peace song", and it was introduced on an Armistice Day broadcast in 1938, sung by Kate Smith on her radio show. (PLEASE WATCH, Very Inspiring Presentation)
And given the turbulent times we face here in 2024, a look back to a time when America perhaps was the most united since the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec 1941, which was the 9/11 terror attack on U.S. soil in NYC. Below is a rendition of America the Beautiful sung by Ray Charles at game 2 of the MLB World Series on Oct 28, 2001, barely a month after the unthinkable shook our nation to the core and brought about a solidarity of resolve to be "American" and defend our democracy.
National Moment of Rememberance
By order of public law (106-579), every Memorial Day at 3 p.m. local time, whether you're at home, at a parade or in the middle of a speech, please take a moment to observe the National Moment of Remembrance. For just one full minute, Americans everywhere should pause to remember all the men and women who died in service to our country.
Public Law 106-579 (106th Congress, December 28, 2000)
Congress finds that--
(1) it is essential to remember and renew the legacy of Memorial Day, which was established in 1868 to pay tribute to individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States and their families.
(2) greater strides must be made to demonstrate appreciation for those loyal people of the United States whose values, represented by their sacrifices, are critical to the future of the United States.
(3) the Federal Government has a responsibility to raise awareness of and respect for the national heritage, and to encourage citizens to dedicate themselves to the values and principles for which those heroes of the United States died.
(4) the relevance of Memorial Day must be made more apparent to present and future generations of people of the United States through local and national observances and ongoing activities.
(5) in House Concurrent Resolution 302, agreed to May 25, 2000, Congress called on the people of the United States, in a symbolic act of unity, to observe a National Moment of Remembrance to honor the men and women of the United States who died in the pursuit of freedom and peace.
(6) in Presidential Proclamation No. 7315 of May 26, 2000 (65 Fed. Reg. 34907), the President proclaimed Memorial Day, May 29, 2000, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as the time to join in prayer and to observe the National Moment of Remembrance; and
(7) a National Moment of Remembrance and other commemorative events are needed to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble event that that day is intended to be.
Comment:
#7 above is the spirit and intent of what Memorial Day should be for all Americans, and was distinctly called out in this 2000 public law to re-align Memorial Day for what it was originally intended to be.
(1) it is essential to remember and renew the legacy of Memorial Day, which was established in 1868 to pay tribute to individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States and their families.
(2) greater strides must be made to demonstrate appreciation for those loyal people of the United States whose values, represented by their sacrifices, are critical to the future of the United States.
(3) the Federal Government has a responsibility to raise awareness of and respect for the national heritage, and to encourage citizens to dedicate themselves to the values and principles for which those heroes of the United States died.
(4) the relevance of Memorial Day must be made more apparent to present and future generations of people of the United States through local and national observances and ongoing activities.
(5) in House Concurrent Resolution 302, agreed to May 25, 2000, Congress called on the people of the United States, in a symbolic act of unity, to observe a National Moment of Remembrance to honor the men and women of the United States who died in the pursuit of freedom and peace.
(6) in Presidential Proclamation No. 7315 of May 26, 2000 (65 Fed. Reg. 34907), the President proclaimed Memorial Day, May 29, 2000, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as the time to join in prayer and to observe the National Moment of Remembrance; and
(7) a National Moment of Remembrance and other commemorative events are needed to reclaim Memorial Day as the sacred and noble event that that day is intended to be.
Comment:
#7 above is the spirit and intent of what Memorial Day should be for all Americans, and was distinctly called out in this 2000 public law to re-align Memorial Day for what it was originally intended to be.
Did You Know?
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"Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" (originally "Columbia, the Land of the Brave") is an American patriotic song which was popular in the U.S. during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Composed c. 1843, it was long used as an unofficial national anthem of the United States, in competition with other songs.
Under the title "Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue," the song is mentioned in Chapter IX of MacKinlay Kantor's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Andersonville (1955). It was also featured in the 1957 musical The Music Man. In 1969, "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" was the music performed by a U.S. Navy Band embarked aboard the USS Hornet as one of the ship's helicopters recovered the Apollo 11 astronauts from their capsule named Columbia after a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The melody of "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean" is identical to that of the British patriotic song "Britannia, the Pride of the Ocean" and there is disagreement as to which song was adapted from the other. |
Click on YouTube Video Below To Hear
"Columbia the Gem of the Ocean"
"Columbia the Gem of the Ocean"
Columbia, Gem of the Ocean
Composed by T. Becket & D. Shaw (c.1843)
Source: U.S. Army Song Book, 1918
O Columbia, the gem of the ocean,
The home of the brave and the free,
The shrine of each patriot's devotion,
A world offers homage to thee.
Thy mandates make heroes assemble,
When Liberty's form stands in view;
Thy banners make tyranny tremble,
When borne by the red, white, and blue!
When borne by the red, white, and blue!
When borne by the red, white, and blue!
Thy banners make tyranny tremble,
When borne by the red, white, and blue!
When war winged its wide desolations,
And threatened the land to deform,
The ark then of freedom's foundation,
Columbia, rode safe through the storm;
With the garlands of vict'ry about her,
When so proudly she bore her brave crew,
With her flag proudly floating before her,
The boast of the red, white, and blue!
The boast of the red, white, and blue!
The boast of the red, white, and blue!
With her flag proudly floating before her,
The boast of the red, white, and blue!
The star-spangled banner bring hither,
O'er Columbia's true sons let it wave;
May the wreaths they have won never wither,
Nor its stars cease to shine on the brave;
May the service united ne'er sever,
But hold to their colors so true;
The army and navy forever,
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!
The army and navy forever,
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!
Composed by T. Becket & D. Shaw (c.1843)
Source: U.S. Army Song Book, 1918
O Columbia, the gem of the ocean,
The home of the brave and the free,
The shrine of each patriot's devotion,
A world offers homage to thee.
Thy mandates make heroes assemble,
When Liberty's form stands in view;
Thy banners make tyranny tremble,
When borne by the red, white, and blue!
When borne by the red, white, and blue!
When borne by the red, white, and blue!
Thy banners make tyranny tremble,
When borne by the red, white, and blue!
When war winged its wide desolations,
And threatened the land to deform,
The ark then of freedom's foundation,
Columbia, rode safe through the storm;
With the garlands of vict'ry about her,
When so proudly she bore her brave crew,
With her flag proudly floating before her,
The boast of the red, white, and blue!
The boast of the red, white, and blue!
The boast of the red, white, and blue!
With her flag proudly floating before her,
The boast of the red, white, and blue!
The star-spangled banner bring hither,
O'er Columbia's true sons let it wave;
May the wreaths they have won never wither,
Nor its stars cease to shine on the brave;
May the service united ne'er sever,
But hold to their colors so true;
The army and navy forever,
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!
The army and navy forever,
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!
The song invokes the historic informal name "Columbia" for the United States and borrows and modifies the phrase "land of the free and the home of the brave" from Francis Scott Key's earlier "Star-Spangled Banner" as "the home of the brave and the free".
Battle Hymn of the Republic
And as a final epilogue to our GLVFA Memorial Day dedicated page, enjoy the following and remember our fallen hero veterans who bravely stood for democracy and their sacrifices affords us the freedoms that we all enjoy to this day.
Proud To Be An American
Finally, on this Memorial Day, GLVFA members exemplify what President Ronald Reagan spoke to all Americans not too long ago and is still applicable today.
GLVFA
Memorial Day Event
Keynote Speech
Memorial Day Event
Keynote Speech
As we gather at our beautiful GlenLakes Veterans Memorial to commemorate Memorial Day, we come together as a community not only to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the company of loved ones and friends but also to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.
Today is a day of reflection, gratitude, and remembrance—a day when we pause to recognize the endless debt of gratitude we owe to those who gave their lives in service to our great nation.
Memorial Day is not just a long weekend or an excuse for a barbecue. It is a solemn occasion—a time to bow our heads in reverence and gratitude.
As Americans and Patriots, we must remember the echoes of history.
Remember Bunker Hill and Fort McHenry, and the bloodied fields of Gettysburg.
Remember the Alamo and the muddy trenches of the Great War.
Remember the sandy beaches of Normandy and Iwo Jima.
Remember the cold mountains of Korea and the hot jungles of Vietnam.
Remember the sandy deserts of Iraq and the jagged provinces of Afghanistan.
Remember our fallen heroes so they may lie in eternal rest.
They are the sentinels of freedom, the guardians of liberty, and the embodiment of sacrifice.
Their names may not be etched in marble or cast in bronze, but they live on in our hearts and memories. Their valor, courage, and selflessness inspire us to be better and to strive for a more just and compassionate world.
On this sacred day, remember the young soldiers who kissed their families goodbye, knowing they might never return.
Honor the warriors who tended to wounded buddies, their resolve steady even as their hearts ached.
Today, we pay tribute to the airman who flew into the storm, the sailor who braved the fierce seas, the soldier who advanced into harm's way, and the Marine who charged up the hill.
Their stories, as well as your own, are woven into the fabric of our nation—a tapestry of sacrifice, resilience, and unwavering commitment.
Let us not forget that Memorial Day is not just about the past. It is also about the present and the future. It is a perpetual reminder that freedom is not free.
So, let us honor our fallen heroes on this Memorial Day and every day, not only with words but with deeds.
Let us support our veterans, advocate for their well-being, and ensure they receive the care and respect they deserve.
As President Ronald Reagan said in his speech "Proud to be American", he said, “Let us teach our children and grandchildren the true meaning of sacrifice and instill in them a sense of duty to country”. His belief is still as true now as it was then.
Our duty as veterans and patriots is to protect the flame of freedom, to pass it on to the next generation, and to ensure that the sacrifices of the fallen were not in vain.
May we never forget the meaning of this day. Honor our fallen men and women by striving for a world where peace and justice prevail, and the ideals of our American way of life are long protected by their sacrifices.
And remember that our GLVFA Veteran Memorial's flag does not fly because the wind moves it.
It flies with the last breath of each veteran who lived and died protecting it.
May God bless our fallen heroes, our Glen Lakes community, and the United States of America.
Today is a day of reflection, gratitude, and remembrance—a day when we pause to recognize the endless debt of gratitude we owe to those who gave their lives in service to our great nation.
Memorial Day is not just a long weekend or an excuse for a barbecue. It is a solemn occasion—a time to bow our heads in reverence and gratitude.
As Americans and Patriots, we must remember the echoes of history.
Remember Bunker Hill and Fort McHenry, and the bloodied fields of Gettysburg.
Remember the Alamo and the muddy trenches of the Great War.
Remember the sandy beaches of Normandy and Iwo Jima.
Remember the cold mountains of Korea and the hot jungles of Vietnam.
Remember the sandy deserts of Iraq and the jagged provinces of Afghanistan.
Remember our fallen heroes so they may lie in eternal rest.
They are the sentinels of freedom, the guardians of liberty, and the embodiment of sacrifice.
Their names may not be etched in marble or cast in bronze, but they live on in our hearts and memories. Their valor, courage, and selflessness inspire us to be better and to strive for a more just and compassionate world.
On this sacred day, remember the young soldiers who kissed their families goodbye, knowing they might never return.
Honor the warriors who tended to wounded buddies, their resolve steady even as their hearts ached.
Today, we pay tribute to the airman who flew into the storm, the sailor who braved the fierce seas, the soldier who advanced into harm's way, and the Marine who charged up the hill.
Their stories, as well as your own, are woven into the fabric of our nation—a tapestry of sacrifice, resilience, and unwavering commitment.
Let us not forget that Memorial Day is not just about the past. It is also about the present and the future. It is a perpetual reminder that freedom is not free.
So, let us honor our fallen heroes on this Memorial Day and every day, not only with words but with deeds.
Let us support our veterans, advocate for their well-being, and ensure they receive the care and respect they deserve.
As President Ronald Reagan said in his speech "Proud to be American", he said, “Let us teach our children and grandchildren the true meaning of sacrifice and instill in them a sense of duty to country”. His belief is still as true now as it was then.
Our duty as veterans and patriots is to protect the flame of freedom, to pass it on to the next generation, and to ensure that the sacrifices of the fallen were not in vain.
May we never forget the meaning of this day. Honor our fallen men and women by striving for a world where peace and justice prevail, and the ideals of our American way of life are long protected by their sacrifices.
And remember that our GLVFA Veteran Memorial's flag does not fly because the wind moves it.
It flies with the last breath of each veteran who lived and died protecting it.
May God bless our fallen heroes, our Glen Lakes community, and the United States of America.