Lots of individuals think that both Memorial Day and Veterans Day are exactly the same, but they are not. Here is why!
Memorial Day: Last Monday in May.
Veterans Day: Every November 11th.
Memorial Day Pays tribute to those who have DIED during military service.
Veterans Day: Honors all men and women who have served in the military.
Memorial Day: A moment of silence at 3 p.m., is observed across the country.
Veterans Day: Two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. are observed around the world.
Now, two additions to both Decoration Day and Armistice Day!
Decoration Day: Originally known as Decoration Day observed on May 30th.
Armistice Day: Originally known as Armistice Day and first observed in 1919.
Decoration Day: Paid tribute to the 620,000 lives lost during the Civil War.
Armistice Day: Celebrated the end of World War 1 in November. 11th, 1918.
Decoration Day: Day of remembrance marked by decorating graves with flowers.
Armistice Day: Day to give thanks to living veterans who served honorably.
1968: Uniform Holiday Act set Memorial Day as last Monday in May and Uniform Holiday Act moved Veterans Day to 4th Monday in October.
1971: Memorial Day officially set as the federal holiday to create a 3 – day weekend.
1975: Due to the significance of the date, President Ford moved Veterans Day back to November 11th.