Memorial Day: Honoring America's Wartime Veterans

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who died in service to their country. The holiday was officially proclaimed in 1868 to honor Union and Confederate soldiers and was expanded after World War I to honor those who died in all wars. Today, Memorial Day honors over one million men and women who have died in military service since the Civil War.

This infographic compiles statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Defense to honor our men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The U.S. Census Bureau gathers detailed information on living veterans from the American Community Survey (ACS). Federal, state, and community leaders, private businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations use ACS statistics to determine the programs, services, and infrastructure that serve the needs of our veterans. The Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Data Center provides statistics on the number of people who served and died in each of our nation's wars.