Memorial Day 2026: Honor the Fallen. Uphold the Legacy.

Foreword by Kyle Lewis
ProArmory Team Member & Author
United States Army Veteran

Memorial Day 2026 arrives on Monday, May 25, and with it comes one of the most solemn responsibilities we share as Americans: to remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to this nation. This day is not about celebration. It is not about sales, cookouts, or the unofficial start of summer. It is a day carved out of our national identity to honor the Fallen—those who stood in harm’s way and never returned home.

For the tactical community, for veterans, for families who have carried the weight of loss, and for patriots who understand the cost of freedom, Memorial Day is not just a holiday. It is a moment of truth. A moment to pause, reflect, and recommit ourselves to the values that generations of American warriors died defending.

The Roots of Remembrance: From Decoration Day to Memorial Day

Long before Memorial Day became a federal holiday, Americans understood the need to honor their fallen. Decoration Day, the original name, emerged in the years following the Civil War—a conflict that claimed more American lives than any other. Communities across the country gathered each spring to place flowers on the graves of soldiers whose sacrifice preserved the Union.

In 1868, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic formalized the tradition, choosing May 30 as a day when flowers would be in bloom nationwide. It was a simple act, but a powerful one: a nation acknowledging that freedom has a cost, and that cost is measured in lives.

Over time, as America fought in new conflicts—World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the ongoing missions of the modern era—Decoration Day evolved into Memorial Day, a day to honor all U.S. service members who died in the line of duty.

Today, more than 150 years later, the heart of the tradition remains unchanged:

Remember their names. Honor their sacrifice. Carry their legacy forward.

Memorial Day Is for the Fallen — And Always Will Be

Memorial Day is not about veterans who returned home.
It is not about active-duty service members currently serving.
It is not about patriotism in the abstract.

Memorial Day is for the Fallen.

It is for the names etched in stone at Arlington and in small-town cemeteries across America. It is for the boots left empty, the rifles planted in the earth, and the helmets resting atop them. It is for the folded flags handed to families whose strength and sacrifice often go unseen.

For the military community, these symbols are not distant or ceremonial—they are personal. They represent brothers and sisters in arms. They represent teammates. They represent the faces and voices that never fade, even decades later.

Every American flag placed on a grave is a reminder: Someone stood the line so we could live free. Someone paid the price so we didn’t have to.

The Warrior Ethos and the Weight of Sacrifice

Those who serve understand something that many never will: Freedom is fragile, and it survives only because warriors are willing to defend it.

The warrior ethos—whether spoken or unspoken—binds generations of American service members together:

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

These are not slogans. They are promises. And Memorial Day is the day we honor those who kept those promises to their final breath.

For veterans, Memorial Day often brings a flood of memories—some proud, some painful. The faces of those who didn’t make it home. The missions that changed everything. The moments that still echo in quiet hours.

For Gold Star families, the day carries a weight that words can barely touch. Their sacrifice is lifelong. Their courage is quiet but unbreakable.

For patriots, Memorial Day is a reminder that the freedoms we enjoy—speech, worship, assembly, the right to defend ourselves, the right to raise our families in peace—were secured by those who stood between danger and home.

A Nation Built on Service and Sacrifice

From the Revolutionary War to the present day, America has been shaped by those willing to fight for it. The tactical community understands this better than most. Every generation has produced men and women who stepped forward, knowing the risks, and chose to serve anyway.

They fought in trenches, jungles, deserts, mountains, and cities. They fought in the air, at sea, and on the ground. They fought in battles known around the world and in missions that will never be publicly told.

Some returned home. Many did not.

Memorial Day is the bridge between their sacrifice and our responsibility. It is the day we acknowledge that the freedoms we enjoy were not inherited—they were earned.

Teaching the Next Generation: Freedom Is Not Free

One of the most important duties we have on Memorial Day is to teach the next generation the truth: Freedom is not free. It never has been. It never will be.

Children should know why flags fly at half-staff. They should know why we stand in silence at 3:00 PM for the National Moment of Remembrance. They should know that the liberties they enjoy were paid for by those who never returned home.

If we fail to teach this, we risk losing the very values that define us.

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

— President Ronald Reagan

How We Can Honor Them Today

Across the nation, Americans will honor the fallen in ways both old and new:

• Visiting cemeteries and placing flags on the graves of service members.
• Attending Memorial Day ceremonies hosted by VFWs, American Legions, and local communities.
• Reading the names of the fallen from their town, their state, or their unit.
• Sharing stories of service members who gave their lives.
• Observing the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 PM local time.
• Carrying forward acts of service, charity, and community support in their honor.

These acts matter. They keep memories alive. They ensure that sacrifice is never forgotten.

A Moment of Reflection

For those who have served, Memorial Day is not just a day of remembrance—it is a day of connection. A day when the distance between past and present feels thin. A day when the faces of the fallen feel close.

It is a day to honor the teammates who didn’t make it home. A day to remember the missions that changed everything. A day to acknowledge the weight carried by those who survived.

And it is a day to recommit ourselves to living lives worthy of their sacrifice.

Carrying the Torch Forward

Memorial Day 2026 is more than a date on the calendar. It is a reminder that the American way of life exists because brave men and women stood in the gap and paid the ultimate price.

Whether you spend the day in quiet reflection, at a ceremony, or placing flowers on a grave, take a moment to speak a name, share a story, or offer gratitude. That is how we keep their memory alive.

This Memorial Day, may we honor the fallen not just with words—but with the way we live, the way we remember, and the way we carry their legacy forward.

Honor the fallen. Stand with their families. Uphold the legacy. That is the American way.

A Remembrance Built by Our Community

This year, in the spirit of remembrance, we invited our customers and community to honor the fallen. We asked anyone with a family member, friend, or fellow service member they wished to remember to share their names with us — and the response was overwhelming.

The Remembrance List we have compiled is not ours alone — it belongs to all of you who entrusted us with your heroes’ memories. Each name stands as a testament to lives lived with purpose and bravery, and each memory shared ensures they are never forgotten.

To everyone who contributed: Thank you. Your participation has made this tribute all the more meaningful.

PROARMORY REMEMBERS

William "Bill" Lewis SPC, Army	Jason Sparks PFC, Army
Johnnie Petach MAJ, Air Force	Carl Emil Janowsky Jr SGT, Army
William Kaplan COL, Air Force	Emil Hadrava PFC, Army
Joseph Falato PFC, Army	Karl Koch CPO, Navy
Jerry Russell PO2, Navy	William Koslan E-5, Air Force
Jim Hudgell HT2, Navy	Micheal Scholl Lance Corporal, Marine Corps
David L Little E-4, Air Force	Melvin Hodge E-4, Navy
Joseph Schwerdtfeger SGT, Army	Bill Prather Army
Floyde Kearney SSG, Army	William Alexander Bishop Navy
Jimmy Simpson Air Force	Jesus Salinas Marine Corps
Philip Drown 1st SGT, Marine Corps	Arvey Drown CPL, Army
Gerhard Yonke CPL, Marine Corps	William Smith SGT, Army
Michael Humble SGM, Army	Robert Carlson LTC, Air Force
Jack Cecil Winstead Lt. JG, Navy	Roy Routh Cook, Army
Eugene Peresich, Jr. Lt. Colonel, Army	Robert Booth MM E-6, Navy
Leonard Breure SFC, Army	Bud Miller CPL, Army
Gary Thayer E 4, Army	Panormitis Stavlas 1LT, Army
Jose Luis Ruiz SPC, Army	Charles Butler Navy
Branden Charles Cummings PFC, Army	James Nordquist Navy
Loius Menard SGT, Army	Frank O. Impson Navy
Berman Ganoe SSG, Army	David Woodley Air Force
Edwin Bartkowski Jr. SGT, Air Force	Larry Booty CPL, Marine Corps
Burgess Martin CPL, Marine Corps	Donald Martin, Sr. SGT, Army
Randall Holyoak Army	James Burton Army
Antonio Rodriguez SFC, Army	Travis Pfister SGT, Marine Corps
Jerry Steward Capt, Air Force	Michael Mercer CPL, Marine Corps
Fred London Navy	Derrell London SSG, Air Force
David London MSGT, Air Force	Ray Robison SGT, Army
Larry Marshall SFC, Army	Tristan Wade SGT, Army
David Hines CPL, Army	Peter Mattarazo Marine Corps
Adam Galvez CPL, Marine Corps	Maurice P Fortune T/5, Army
Michael Hodge 1stLT, Air Force	Michael Johnson CPL, Army
Frederick Tims SGT, Army	Jacob Heemstra PVT, Army
Doug Ward Army	William Crossman SPC, Army
Larry Booty CPL, Marine Corps	Larry Uehlein SSG, Army
Don Atad Coast Guard	Clifford Scoggins Navy
John Selheim Navy	Brian Dunlap SGT, Marine Corps
Evan Brekken SN, Navy	Ryan Ozment Army
Marshall Thibodeaux 1LT, Army	Harry (BUD) O'Hagan CPL, Army
Michael Brummer SGT, Army	Herman Derouin SSgt, Marine Corps
Marshall Thibodeaux Army	Robert Fritz Speer SGT, Army
James Derouin ETC, Navy	David Medina SPC, Army
Anthony Derouin AT3, Navy	James Wheeler SGT, Army
Randy Roland CMSGT, Air Force	Robert Armstrong TM3, Navy
Darrin Singer TM3, Navy	James Champion SGT, Army
Johnny Ray Sly SGT, Army	Paul Brass WO1, Army
James Hargrove CWO, Army	Tim Smith SGT, Army
Stephen Glads Army	David Flaningam CPL, Marine Corps
Kristopher Ciraso SSG, Army	William Jernigan Sr. SFC, Army
Shane Wacker Marine Corps	David Sigler Navy
Wayne Roach Air Force	John- Joseph Lambros PFC, Marine Corps
Lee Ruple AO3, Navy	Gary Jones CPL, Marine Corps
James W Watts MSGT, Air Force	Salvador Antunez Army
Denny Johnson 1LT, Army	Owen Lackey Army
Cecil Harlow PFC, Army	Robert Lemaster SSG, Army
Randle Kelpine SGT, Marine Corps	Henry Nickel Sr. Army
Robert M Fowler Navy	Lawrence Getzfred CAPT, Navy
John O'Neal PFC, Army	Billy Brittingham SPC, Army
Jesse Tutor AE2, Navy	Carl Barlage MCPO, Navy
Andy Hooks MSGT, Air Force	David Swanson AMS2, Navy
Charles Huey SGT, Army	George Sutton Navy
Lyn Rash SPC, Army	Lorin Smith PVT, Army
Donald J, Pagel COL, Army	Thomas Ray Patterson CPL, Army
Eddie Allison MSGT, Air Force	James Black Marine Corps
Edward Fain CPL, Army	Chester Bullard BMC, Navy
Steve Duran BMC, Navy	Robert Lefeber SP5, Army
John Bozinski WO1, Army	Nicole Ramsey SSG, Army
Fredrick V Recuero SPC, Army	Denzil Whitlock Navy
Delmon Thomas Army	Ezra Budd Marter V SGT, Army
Jim Martin Navy	Ezra Budd Marter 1stLt, Marine Corps
John (Smoke) Degrasse Marine Corps	Lyle Palmer SP5, Army
James Rodriguez jr SSG, Army	Norwood Alderman PO3, Navy
Frank Raso CPL, Army	Telford Miller MSG, Army
Johnnie Davis SGT, Army	Ward Herring SP4, Army
Christopher Young PR2, Navy	Roland Dean PO1, Navy
Merwyn Coons PFC, Army	Fred Privett SSG, Army
Melvin Larson Army	Hatcher Lester Canipe Capt, Air Force
Thomas H Condon SGT, Marine Corps	Grant U. Files PFC, Army
Millard Alan Winner Army	Lewis S. Foote 2LT, Army
Thomas Zeugner MAJ, Army	Donald Cowell SSG, Army
Victor Masters EOCS, Navy	Robert Hymel Lt. Col, Air Force
Robert Dumlao Navy	Thomas Edwards Army
Darwyn Coons Navy	Darwyn "Larry" Coons Navy
Clark Simons Navy	LaVerne Arthur Kelley Army
Jason Hasenauer Army	Freddie Pate Holloway Sr. Navy
Omar Aceves SSG, Army	Gary Vasquez SFC, Army
Garth Sizemore SSG, Army	Raul "Chato" Bravo LCPL, USMC
Dustin "Brick" Lang SGT, USMC	Adam Emul LCPL, USMC
Charles Sare HN, USN	Kyle Nolan HN, USN
Sam Chhoeng Army	John Bernard Arnold III Navy

On This Memorial Day

As we spend time with those we love, let us pause to remember those who cannot be with us. Let us honor the men and women who laid down their lives for the freedoms we hold today — not with mere words, but with lives worthy of their sacrifice. Freedom is a gift paid for at a cost beyond measure. It is now our duty to protect it, to cherish it, and to ensure that the legacy of the fallen endures for generations to come.

This Memorial Day — and every day —
We remember. We honor. We are grateful.