05/25/2026
Memorial Day is a time for us to come together as Americans and honor those who gave everything for our country. Since 1775, an estimated 1.3 million Americans have died in service to our nation [source: Defense Casualty Analysis System].
But they are more than numbers.
They were sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, best friends, teammates, and someoneโs whole world. They had dreams, families, favorite sports teams, inside jokes, and people who loved them deeply.
This Memorial Day, we especially remember the military members recently killed during Operation Epic Fury and all Gold Star families carrying unimaginable sacrifice and grief.
May we never forget the cost of freedom.