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Memorial Day, initially referred to as Decoration Day, was observed by
many communities after the Civil War, when the nation suffered more
than 620,000 military deaths, roughly 2 percent of the total population
at the time. John A. Logan, the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of
Republic, chose May 30, 1868, as a day to decorate the graves of Union
troops across the nation. From this beginning, Memorial Day is now
designated as an annual day of remembrance to honor all those who have
died in service to the United States during peace and war. Veterans
Day, November 11, celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans.
