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Memorial Day 2025: Honoring Fallen Heroes and Preserving Tradition

As communities prepare for ceremonies on May 26, veterans' groups emphasize the importance of reflection over commercialization.

FILE - A member of the Army visits Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., Monday, May 27, 2024, on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - Kim Hoan Nguyen, of Falls Church, Va., who is originally from Vietnam, touches her son's gravestone next to ritual offerings in the Vietnamese tradition at the gravesite of her son, Marine Corporal Binh N Le, who died serving in Iraq in 2004, in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., Monday, May 27, 2024, on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - Krista Meinert, of Racine, Wisc., looks at a photo of her son, Marine Lance Corporal Jacob Alexander Meinert, 20, that she attached to his gravestone in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., Monday, May 27, 2024, on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - Families visit Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., Monday, May 27, 2024, in honor of Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Overview

  • Memorial Day, observed on May 26 this year, commemorates U.S. military personnel who died in service, with a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.
  • The holiday originated as Decoration Day in 1868, established to honor fallen Union soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers.
  • Veterans' groups urge Americans to avoid misunderstandings, such as saying 'Happy Memorial Day,' and to focus on its solemn purpose rather than leisure activities.
  • Local events across the U.S., including wreath presentations, mass services, and 'Taps Across America,' aim to balance remembrance with community participation.
  • The holiday has evolved into the unofficial start of summer, marked by travel and retail sales, sparking ongoing dialogue about preserving its core meaning.