Monday, May 28, 2007
Editorial: Remembering those who sacrificed
This Memorial Day, we honor the Americans who died in service.
From the RoundTable blog
Read the latest entries
Memorial Day originated after the Civil War. An organization of Union veterans established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to adorn the graves of the war's dead. Many Southern states refused to participate for decades. They preferred their own Confederate observances, many of which are still marked today.
By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held across the nation on May 30. The holiday's scope grew after World War I, when it became a day to commemorate those who died in all American wars.
Congress finally declared Memorial Day a national holiday in 1971, fixing it on the last Monday of May.
The Department of Veterans Affairs allows veterans to choose among 38 religious symbols and one atheist symbol for their graves in Arlington National Cemetery and other U.S. military burial grounds.
The symbols include multiple Christian crosses, a Jewish Star of David, a Buddhist wheel, a Muslim crescent, a Mormon angel and many others.
The most recently added symbol is the Wiccan pentacle, which the department approved last month.
American Revolution (1775-83)
Battle deaths 4,435
Non-mortal woundings 6,188
War of 1812 (1812-15)
Battle deaths 2,260
Non-mortal woundings 4,505
Mexican War (1846-48)
Battle deaths 1,733
Non-mortal woundings 4,152
Civil War (1861-65)
Servicemembers 2,213,363 (Union) 1,500,000 (Confederate)
Battle deaths 140,414 (Union) 74,524 (Confederate)
Other service deaths 224,097 (Union) 59,297 (Confederate)
Non-mortal woundings 281,881 (Union) Unknown (Confederate)
Spanish-American War (1898-1902)
Battle deaths 385
Non-mortal woundings 1,662
World War I (1917-18)
Battle deaths 53,402
Non-mortal woundings 204,002
World War II (1941-45)
Battle deaths 291,557
Non-mortal woundings 671,846
Korean War (1950-53)
Battle deaths 33,741
Other deaths in-theater 2,833
Non-mortal woundings 103,284
Vietnam War (1964-75)
Battle deaths 47,424
Other deaths in-theater 10,785
Non-mortal woundings 153,303
Desert Shield/Storm (1990-91)
Battle deaths 147
Non-mortal woundings 467
Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (2001-present)
Killed in action 206 (Afghanistan as of May 19) 2809 (Iraq as of May 25)
Non-hostile deaths 181 (Afghanistan as of May 19) 624 (Iraq as of May 25)
Wounded in action 1,250 (Afghanistan as of May 19) 25,549 (Iraq as of May 25)
All information compiled from the U.S. Defense and Veterans Affairs departments.
