Memorial Day honors those who died in military service, while Veterans Day honors everyone who has served.
Memorial Day
The last Monday of May. It honors Americans who died while serving in the military. Started as Decoration Day after the Civil War (1868).
Veterans Day
November 11. It honors all who have served in the US military, living or dead, especially living veterans. It marks the end of World War I (Armistice Day, 1918).
Traditions
Memorial Day: ceremonies at cemeteries, flags at half-staff until noon. Veterans Day: parades and thanking veterans.
Federal holiday
Both are federal holidays.
Difference trick
Memorial: Those who died. Veterans: Those who lived.
Observed
Veterans Day on the 11th, even if Observed on a Friday or Monday when it falls on a weekend.
Dates
Memorial Day is the last Monday of May. Veterans Day is on November 11 each year, regardless of the weekday.
History
Memorial Day began after the Civil War as Decoration Day, and was first widely observed on May 30, 1868. It became an official federal holiday in 1971. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I on November 11, 1918, and was renamed in 1954.
Who is honored
- Memorial Day honors service members who died in military service.
- Veterans Day honors all who served in the US armed forces, living or dead, with a focus on living veterans.
Traditions
- Memorial Day: flags are flown at half staff until noon, then raised to full staff. A National Moment of Remembrance is held at 3:00 pm local time. Many visit cemeteries.
- Veterans Day: parades, ceremonies, and a wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknowns at 11 am.
Federal holiday rules
Both are federal holidays, so federal offices, banks and schools often close. If November 11 falls on a weekend, the holiday is observed on a Friday or Monday.
Greetings
It is customary to say “thank you for your service” on Veterans Day, and “remembering the fallen” on Memorial Day. Wishing “Happy Memorial Day” is not considered appropriate by some, who prefer more solemn remarks.
Numbers
There are about 16 million living veterans in the US according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
History and dates
Memorial Day honors US military personnel who died while serving. It began after the Civil War as Decoration Day, and General John Logan declared May 30, 1868 as a day to decorate graves. Congress moved it to the last Monday of May in 1971 under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. Veterans Day honors all who have served in the US armed forces, living or dead, and falls on November 11. It began as Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I, when fighting stopped on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Congress renamed it Veterans Day in 1954.
How each is observed
On Memorial Day, flags are flown at half staff until noon, and a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time. Arlington National Cemetery holds a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Veterans Day features parades and ceremonies, and the traditional greeting is “Thank you for your service,” while Memorial Day is typically met with remembrance, not “Happy Memorial Day,” which many veterans find inappropriate. The US has about 16 million living veterans according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. More than 1.1 million service members have died in US wars, according to the VA. Both are federal holidays, and many stores offer Veterans Day discounts and free meals for veterans.
Based on data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Archives
