30 Memorial Day Quotes to Remember & Honor the Fallen
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States dedicated to remembering and honoring people who died while serving in the armed forces. It is observed on the last Monday in May. Memorial Day 2025 is on Monday, May 26.
Memorial Day is a time of mourning and reflection. One way some people choose to reflect is through quotations that address themes of freedom, sacrifice, and honor.
What is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day began in 1868 as a way to honor Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War. It was initially called Decoration Day because of the practice of placing wreaths on soldiers’ graves.
In the 20th century, the holiday expanded to include anyone had died while serving the U.S. Armed Forces. The date was changed from May 30 to the last Monday in May so that it would always create a long weekend.
The day is often marked by speeches and ceremonies at military cemeteries, with people placing wreaths or flags on soldiers’ graves. Many people also display flags at their homes.
Memorial Day Quotes
Quotes from world leaders, veterans, and poets are one way to mark Memorial Day. You can include Memorial Day quotes in social media posts or email messages to employees or clients.
- “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” —Adlai E. Stevenson II
- “America without her soldiers would be like God without His angels.” —Claudia Pemberton
- “May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn’t free.” —Sgt. Maj. Bill Paxton
- “On this day, take time to remember those who have fallen. But on every day after, do more; put the freedoms they died for to greater and nobler uses.” —Richelle E. Goodrich
- “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.” —Thucydides
- “It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.” —Norman Schwarzkopf
- “All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.” ―Winston Churchill
- “This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” —Elmer Davis
- “We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage.” —Theodore Roosevelt
- “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” —St. Ambrose
- “The legacy of brave men and women who have fought and died for their country is the freedom we enjoy as Americans.” —Lucian Adams
- “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” —Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address
- “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.” —Calvin Coolidge
- “Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay.” —Barack Obama
- “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.” —General Douglas MacArthur
- “For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.” —James A. Garfield
- “Ceremonies are important. But our gratitude has to be more than visits to the troops, and once-a-year Memorial Day ceremonies. We honor the dead best by treating the living well.” —Jennifer M. Granholm
- “Let their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.” —Daniel Webster
- “The patriot’s blood is the seed of Freedom’s tree.” —Thomas Campbell
- “Heroes never die. They live on in the hearts and minds of those who would follow in their footsteps.” —Emily Potter
- “I have long believed that sacrifice is the pinnacle of patriotism.” —Bob Riley
- “This is the day we pay homage to all those who didn’t come home. This is not Veterans Day, it’s not a celebration, it is a day of solemn contemplation over the cost of freedom.” —Tamra Bolton
- “Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die.” —G. K. Chesterton
- “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.” —Harry S. Truman
- “And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb, and beauty weeps the brave.” —Joseph Rodman Drake
- “Who kept the faith and fought the fight; The glory theirs, the duty ours.” —Wallace Bruce
- “The brave die never, though they sleep in dust, their courage nerves a thousand living men.” —Minot J. Savage
- “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” —Arthur Ashe
- “They fell, but o’er their glorious grave floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.” —Francis Marion Crawford
Frequently asked questions about Memorial Day
- What is a Memorial Day out-of-office message example?
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Some Memorial Day out-of-office message examples are:
- Thank you for your message. I am out of the office in observance of Memorial Day and will respond to your message when I am back on [DATE].
- Our office is closed in honor of Memorial Day. We look forward to helping you when we return on [DATE]. Have a meaningful and restful holiday.
QuillBot’s AI Chat can help you draft out-of-office messages for any circumstance.
- Do you say happy Memorial Day?
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Because Memorial Day is a day to remember and mourn those who have died while serving in the military, it is generally not considered appropriate to say “Happy Memorial Day.”
Instead, you could say, “Have a meaningful Memorial Day.” If you are reaching out to the family of a fallen service member, you could say “I am thinking of you this Memorial Day” or let them know that you are remembering their loved one.
If you are posting on social media, you could use a phrase like “Honoring the fallen this Memorial Day.” Additionally, you could include a Memorial Day quotation that emphasizes honor, sacrifice, or freedom.
- What is the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?
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Memorial Day is a day set aside to mourn and remember those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May each year.
Veterans Day is dedicated to honoring anyone who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is observed on November 11 every year, which coincides with the anniversary of the end of World War I (also known as Armistice Day).
- What is Armed Forces Day?
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Armed Forces Day is a holiday set aside to thank those who are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. Armed Forces Day 2025 is May 17, 2025.
Although both are celebrated in May, Armed Forces Day is distinct from Memorial Day, which is a day dedicated to mourning and honoring those who died during their military service.
