MEMORIAL DAY FACT PAGE

Memorial Day is a legal holiday, observed annually in most of the United States, in honor of the nation's armed services personnel killed in wartime. The holiday is celebrated with parades, memorial speeches and ceremonies. This day was originally called Decoration Day because graves of soldiers were decorated with flowers and flags.   Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, on the order of General John Logan for the purpose of decorating the graves of the soldiers killed in the American Civil War. Later on, other American Wars were included in this observance.  This holiday was observed on May 30 until 1971, when most states changed to the last Monday in May.

Facts and Figures of U.S. Wars  

 

Revolutionary War (1775-1783)                                World War I (1917-1918)
Served: No data                                                            Served: 4,734,991
Deaths: 4,435                                                                Battle Deaths: 53,402
Wounded 6,188                                                            Wounded: 204,002

War of 1812 (1812-1815)                                            World War II (1941-1946)  
Served: 286,730                                                            Served: 16,112,566
Battle Deaths: 2,260                                                       Battle Deaths: 291,557 
Wounded: 4,505                                                            Wounded: 671,846

Mexican War (1846-1848)                                           Korean War (1950-1953)
Served: 78,718                                                               Served: 5,720,000
Battle Deaths: 1,733                                                        Battle Deaths: 33,651
Wounded: 4,152                                                             Wounded: 103,284

Civil War (1861-1865)                                                  Vietnam War (1964-1973)
Served: 2,213,363                                                           Served: 8,744,000
Battle Deaths: 140,414                                                     Battle Deaths: 47,378
Wounded: 281,881                                                          Wounded: 153,303

Spanish-American War (1895-1902)                            Gulf War (1991 - 100 hours))
Served: 306,760                                                              Served: 24,100
Battle Deaths: 385                                                            Deaths: 162
Wounded: 1,662

Iraq Freedom War  (March 2003 to Present)  American Deaths - over 2,400