1,226,332

Memorial Day is one of our nation's most solemn and revered holidays - the day we honor all the men and women who died while serving in the United States military. As we head into Memorial Day weekend, amidst gatherings of family and friends, it's worth reflecting on the history and purpose of Memorial Day, and on all the lives given in sacrifice to our great nation.

Originally known as Decoration Day, the first gatherings to honor our fallen heroes occurred in the years following the Civil War. While many communities and people undertook efforts to recognize the sacrifices of the fallen, Waterloo, New York's May 5, 1866 community commemoration event was ultimately declared (in 1966) the birthplace of Memorial Day. In 1868, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan called for a national day of remembrance, declaring May 30, 1868 as the first Decoration Day.

While Decoration Day initially honored those who died fighting in the Civil War, during World War I the national day of remembrance began to honor all those whose lives were lost in service to our country in all wars. May 30 remained the official day of remembrance until 1971, when by law the Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed the day of remembrance to the last Monday in May.

Memorial Day now honors all those whose lives have been lost during military service. Through all the years and remembrances, and changes in the day or body of those honored, the meaning and importance of what we now know as Memorial Day has likely never been captured better than with the words of Maj. Gen. John A. Logan back in 1868:

"We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic."

But to use Logan's words, how many graves should we guard? While its impossible to know the precise number of people we honor on Memorial Day, we can derive a plausible estimate. First, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, between 1775 and 1991, the United States military recorded 1,190,085 fatalities. Then, from the Defense Casualty Analysis System, in place since 1980, we can calculate 36,247 lives were lost during military service from 1992 to 2022 (2022 being the most recent year of available data), arriving at a total of 1,226,332 fallen heroes who have given their lives in military service to our country.

To all those who have lost loved ones or friends in service to our country, the memory is far more than a number - and for too many those memories bring great pain and suffering. But while we all can't know every name, and it's likely not every name is even recorded, we can remember 1,226,332. So this weekend, and especially on Memorial Day, let's remember the 1,226,332 brave souls who gave their lives so we can be free. Let's remember the 1,226,332 who died so we can believe what we want to believe, who died so we can choose to do what we want to do.

But maybe most importantly, amidst the great divides, hostility, anger and frustration that exists across our nation, let's remember those 1,226,332 who died so that we could be ONE people, ONE republic. Our unity, despite our differences, should be the greatest remembrance we give to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. So if you get a chance this weekend, or on Memorial Day, mention 1,226,332 to someone, or several, to help us all remember what each and every one of those heroes fought for.