Memorial Day, observed the last Monday in May, is a day to remember the men and women who have sacrificed their lives in service of our great Nation. For more than 156 years, since the Civil War, flowers have been placed at the grave markers of fallen American service members. Long known as Decoration Day, federal law changed the name to Memorial Day in 1967. In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, asking Americans to take pause at 3:00 p.m., and remember those who lost their lives.
More than 58,000 U.S. service members died in the Vietnam War; 1,587 remain unaccounted for.
More than 54,000 U.S. service members died in the Korean War; 7,589 remain unaccounted for.
From the Cold War, 126 U.S. service members remain unaccounted for.
More than 400,000 U.S. service members died in World War II; 72,597 remain unaccounted for.
There is no heavier price than the one borne by those who remain missing from past wars and have not returned home – the ones DPAA diligently works to find answers for their grieving families. Every unaccounted-for U.S. service member or DoD civilian/contractor is entitled to one certainty: that he or she will not be forgotten. The men and women of DPAA are committed to honor their sacrifice.