Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, is a U.S. federal holiday. It honors and mourns military personnel who died in service to the United States Armed Forces. The holiday was observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970. But since 1971, it has been observed on the last Monday of May. In 2025, Memorial Day is on Monday, May 26th. So let’s delve into this beautiful list of Memorial Day Quotes, and reflect on the holiday’s true meaning.
Memorial Day Quotes For Martyrs Of The Armed Forces
- “This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” — Elmer Davis
- “Memorial Day remains one of America’s most cherished patriotic observances. The spirit of this day has not changed—it remains a day to honor those who died defending our freedom and democracy.”– Doc Hastings
- “For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.” — James A. Garfield
- “The brave die never, though they sleep in dust, their courage nerves a thousand living men.” — Minot J. Savage
- “Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” – Unknown
- “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” – Nathan Hale
- “Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.”– Mary Roach
- “Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.”– Adlai Stevenson
- “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.” — Calvin Coolidge
- “America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” – Harry S. Truman
- “The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” – Benjamin Disraeli
- “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”– Billy Graham
- “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.”– Sun Tzu
- “Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility.”– Eleanor Roosevelt
- “Without a sign his sword the brave man draws and asks no omen but his country’s cause.” — Homer
- “Over all our happy country – over all our Nation spread, is a band of noble heroes– is our Army of the Dead.” — Will Carleton
- “Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.”Daniel Webster
- “When duty calls, that is when character counts.”– William Safire
- “Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay.”– Barack Obama
- “One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, one Nation, evermore!”– Oliver Wendell Holmes
- “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
- “Let their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.” — Daniel Webster
- “They fell, but o’er that glorious grave floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.” – Francis Marion Crawford
- “The patriot’s blood is the seed of freedom’s tree.”–Thomas Campbell
- “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
- “America without her soldiers would be like God without His angels.” — Claudia Pemberton
- “Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.” — Napoleon Hill
- “There is nothing nobler than risking your life for your country.” — Nick Lampson
- “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
End Note
We hope every quote for Memorial Day, mentioned here, inspires you to reflect on the true meaning of this day.
And how can we show our respect to the brave soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for our country? Well, this year, consider honoring our fallen heroes with more than just posting Memorial Day Quotes on social media. One way to honor them is by visiting a local cemetery and placing flags and wreaths on the graves of veterans. You can also volunteer at a veterans’ organization or wear Poppy flowers to show appreciation.
Let’s pay tribute to the sacrifice of martyrs and remember their service to our nation every day!
