Military Holidays and Observances

While many people may be familiar with Memorial Day and Veterans Day, however there are many other important military holidays and veteran related days of observance that represent the unwavering strength and sacrifices our service members made throughout the history of our country.

March

National Medal of Honor Day

March 25

The National Medal of Honor Day recognizes all recipients of the Medal of Honor. Also known as the Congressional Medal of Honor, it is the highest distinction that can be awarded by the president, in the name of the congress, to a member of the armed forces who have distinguished themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty.

In 1990 Congress designated March 25th as the Nation Medal of Honor Day based on the day the first Medals of Honor were awarded on March 25th 1863. In 1991 President George H.W. Bush signed this measure into law.

To learn more about this prestigious award its recipients, visit The National Medal of Honor Museum website

Vietnam War Veterans Day

March 29

Vietnam Veterans Day honors the U.S. Veterans of the Vietnam War and their families for their service and the sacrifices they made. Also referred to as the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day to recognize the men and women who were denied a proper welcome upon returning home at the end of the war.

In 1974 President Richard Nixon chose March 29th to be Vietnam War Veterans Day based on the day of March 29th 197 where the last combat troops were withdrawn from Vietnam and the last prisoners of war held in North Vietnam arrived back on American soil. In 2017 Congress passed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, that designates March 29of each year as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. President Donald J. Trump signed this into law on March 28, 2017.

April

Gold Star Spouses Day

April 5

Gold Star Spouses Day honors the spouses of active-duty soldiers who died while in service to our nation. This day recognizes the sacrifices made by military spouses and their families.

May

Silver Star Service Banner Day

May 1

On Silver Star Service Banner Day, we honor the sacrifices of American Service Members that have been awarded the Siver Star Medal for valor in combat and as an official day to honor the wounded, ill and injured veterans.

As defined by the US Department of defense, The Silver Star Medal is the third-highest military combat decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Armed Forces. It is awarded for gallantry in action. Authorization for the Silver Star Medal was placed into law by an Act of Congress in 1942. In May of 2010 congress passed a resolution formalizing Silver Star Service Banner Day as May 1st as an “Official Day to honor wounded, ill, and injured veterans.”

Armed Forces Day

3rd Saturday in May

On Armed Services Day we honor all the members of our Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard and Reserve forces.

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country. On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace the separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the armed forces under one agency -- the Department of Defense.

President Harry S. Truman declared May 20th 1950 as the first celebration of Armed Forces Day. On March 18, 1961 President John F. Kennedy signed a presidential proclamation officially declaring Armed Forces Day a national holiday on every third Saturday in May.

Memorial Day

Last Monday of May

Memorial Day honors all who have died while serving in the United States military. It serves as a day of remembrance and reflection of the enormous sacrifices made by these brave men and women. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and began in the years following the civil war. From 1868 to 1970 it was observed each year on May 30th. In 1971 Memorial Day became an official federal holiday to be observed on the last Monday in May.

June

Normandy Landing (D-Day)

June 6

This day commemorates the WWII Allied operation and invasion of German occupied France known as D-Day. On June 6th 1944 over 160,000 Allied troops landed on the Beaches of Normandy, France. Becoming the largest amphibious invasion in history, it included 11,000 allied aircrafts, 7000 ships and landing craft with over 195,000 naval personal.  Allied casualties were documented at least 10,000 with 4414 allied troops killed on D-Day itself, including 2501 Americans. In the continuing Battle of Normandy, over 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 were wounded.

PTSD Awareness Day

June 27

On PTSD Awareness Day we recognize a mental health condition that effects many veterans and non-veterans.
PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It can be the result of experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event such as military combat and related service.

PTSD Awareness Day was established in 2010 as an effort lead by N.D. Senator Kent Conrad’s to designate a day of awareness as a tribute to Army Staff Sgt. Joe Biel of the North Dakota National Guard. Biel suffered from PTSD and took his own life after returning home following multiple tours of duty in the Iraq War. June 27th  Biel’s Birthday  and that date was chosen to mark PTSD Awareness Day.

July

Independence Day

July 4

On This day we celebrate the birth of our nation as the United States. Referred to as Independence Day or the Fourth of July, it represents our independence from the rule of Great Britian. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the 13 colonies have claimed their independence and political separation from Great Britian.

Independence Day was celebrated to some extent in the years following, but the practice became more widely adopted after the war of 1812. In 1801, Thomas Jefferson was the first President to celebrate the Fourth of July at the Presidential house. In June 1870, the U.S. Congress passed a bill making Independence Day a federal holiday.

July 4th is a staple of American culture and tradition. It is celebrated with parades, barbeques, fairs, picnics, vacations and fireworks.

For over 247 years our veterans and military have continued to defend the independence of our nation.

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day

July 27

On National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, often referred to as Korean War Veterans Day, we pay tribute to our brave veterans of the Korean War and the more than 35,000 U.S. service members who sacrificed their lives during this conflict. To this day, over 7,000 American service members from this war remain unaccounted for.

Sometimes called “The Forgotten War”, the Korean War began June 25, 1950, with the North Korean army's invasion of South Korea. On July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed ending the war, now officially recognized as Armistice Day.

Each year, the President of the United States issues a proclamation announcing July 27th as a day of national observance in honor of Korean War veterans and their families. On that day there are observances on military bases, at military cemeteries such as Arlington National Cemetery and other ceremonies across the U.S.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. is a permanent memorial to honor these veterans. It includes the inscription:

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

The memorial was dedicated in a ceremony led by President Bill Clinton and South Korean President Kim Young-sam on July 27, 1995, the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War.

August

Purple Heart Day

August  7

On Purple heart day we remember and honor the brave current and former service members who were wounded our killed in action while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. The Purple heart award is the very first and oldest U.S. military medal. It was originally designated as the “Badge of Military Merit” by George Washington in 1782.  In 1932 General Douglas MacArthur ordered its redesign to become the modern purple heart award.  During WWII over 1 million purple hearts were awarded. More than all other conflicts of the 20th Century combined.  President John F. Kennedy is the only President to have been awarded the Purple Heart.

September

Patriot Day

September 11

On Patriot Day we pay tribute to all the heroes and victims that were lost in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. On that day 2977 innocent lives were lost as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, The Pentagon in Virginia and the United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania.

Immediately after the attacks President George W. Bush proclaimed September 14 as a National Day of Prayer and remembrance for the victims of the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. On December 18, 2001, congress passed a joint resolution designating September 11 as Patriot Day and on April 21, 2009, congress approved public law 111-13 requesting the observance that September 11 be annually recognized as a National Day of Service and remembrance. Each year since, the sitting president has issued a proclamation to observe Patriot Day.

On Patriot Day Americans are encouraged to display flags and observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 am, the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade center. Patriot Day is not a federal holiday.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day

3rd Friday in September

The National POW/MIA Recognition Day remembers and honors our American Service Members who were prisoners of war and those who served and never returned home.

POWs (Prisoners of War): Over 142,233 American service members were held as prisoners of war from conflicts that included WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War, Gulf wars and other conflicts. 130,201 of those POWs were from WWII alone. Of the total number of all POWs from all conflicts, 17,004 died while being held captive.

MIA (Missing in Action): While serving in conflicts since WWI, an estimated 88,141 American service members were reported missing and never returned home. According to the government Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency as of May 2023, 81,000 Americans still remain missing from conflicts since WWII, with of the total, approximately 75% of the losses are located in the Indo-Pacific region. Over 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency continues an ongoing mission to recover American military personnel listed as prisoners of war or missing in action from past conflicts and provide closure to their family members.

The National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979 when President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation passed by a join resolution of Congress, designating the 3rd Friday in September as The National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Since then, each president has issued an annual proclamation commemorating this important day.

Novemember

Veterans Day

November 11

On Veterans Day we celebrate the service all U.S. military veterans. It was originally known as Armistice Day and had represented the formal end of WWI at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th Month in 1918 marking the armistice with Germany.

Armistice Day was officially changed to Veterans Day in 1954 by President Dwight D Eisenhower. During a brief period from 1971-1974, Veteran’s Day was changed to be observed on the fourth Monday in October because of a bill passed by the US Congress. However, in 1975 President Gerald R Ford returned Veteran’s Day to November 11th due to the date’s important historical significance.

December

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

December 7

On this day we commemorate the valor and honor the 2403 service members and civilians who were killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. On Sunday December 7, 1941, in the early morning hours, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack on United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory. The bombing killed 2403 Americans with an additional 1,178 people injured. Two U.S. Navy battleships, the USS Arizona and the USS Utah were permanently sunk, and the USS Oklahoma had capsized. Over 188 aircraft were destroyed, with more than 150 others damaged.

On December 8th, President Franklin Roosevelt addressed a joint session of congress requesting a declaration of war against Japan, calling December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy." Congress approved and President Roosevelt signed the declaration that day. The United States had at that point entered into WWII.

In 1958 President Dwight D. Eisenhower, approved the creation of the Pearl Harbor Memorial to be constructed where the attack occurred. It was completed in 1961 and The Memorial was dedicated in 1962.

On Aug. 23, 1994, the United States Congress designated Dec. 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. The joint resolution was signed by President Bill Clinton.

On this day American flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset honoring those who lost their lives as a result of the attack.

Pearl Harbor Memorial National Memorial website