Across the United States and around the world, countless memorial sites honor the bravery and sacrifice of U.S. military service members.
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Since the founding of the United States in 1776, more than one million Americans have given their lives defending freedom in conflicts across the globe. Each year, on the last Monday of May, Americans come together to remember and honor those sacrifices on Memorial Day.
Many U.S. troops fought and died far from home, and not all were able to return to American soil.
To honor their memory, the United States has established monuments dedicated to those missing in action, along with military cemeteries for fallen soldiers whose families chose burial overseas — often near the battlefields where they made the ultimate sacrifice.
Today, there are 171 national military cemeteries across the United States and 27 additional cemeteries maintained overseas by a commission appointed by the White House in 11 different countries. Together, these sacred places preserve the legacy of American service members who gave their lives for their nation.
