Memorial Day is right around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to honor and remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Since the end of the Revolutionary War, around 646,596 American troops died during battle while another 539,000 troops died from non-combat related causes like diseases — particularly during the Revolutionary War.
The American Battlefield Trust, a nonprofit organization that preserves America’s battlegrounds and educates the public about the country’s conflicts, estimates that around 6,800 American troops died during the Revolutionary War during combat. However, diseases like dysentery, malaria or smallpox were deadlier and killed 17,000 American troops during the war.
Disease was also the leading cause in deaths during the War of 1812. Around 15,000 Americans died during the war, but only 2,260 of those deaths were because of fighting. The rest of the casualties were all died from diseases.
The Civil War was America’s most deadly war and caused 620,000 war time deaths, according to data from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The deadliest battle of the Civil War took place at the Battle of Gettysburg where more than 7,000 Union and Confederate soldiers perished.
World War II caused the second highest amount of war time deaths in the country’s military and reported that 420,000 troops died. At the time of World War II, nearly 12 percent of the total U.S. population was a part of the country’s military, according to data from the Census Bureau and Department of Defense.
Remembering Latinos who defended freedom
Since the Revolutionary War, soldiers of Spanish or Latin American heritage have fought in every U.S. conflict.
Joseph H. De Castro, who served in the Civil War as the Massachusetts Infantry’s color-bearer, was the first Hispanic recipient of the Medal of Honor, the highest award in the armed forces. As the years went on, more than 60 other Hispanics eventually were awarded the Medal of Honor.
The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are nearly 1.3 million Latino veterans, or about 8 percent of the veteran population. The Department of Defense says Latinos make up 17 percent of active-duty service members with the Marine Corps having the highest percentage of Latino active-duty members at 23 percent.
From Decoration Day to Memorial Day
Looking for a way to honor those who died during the Civil War, General John A. Logan declared the first official Decoration Day on May 30, 1868. The day was observed at Arlington National Cemetery where volunteers decorated the graves of more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers.
As World War II ensued, Decoration Day was expanded and renamed Memorial Day to honor those who died in military service. In 1971, the day became a national holiday.
Memorial Day is more than just another day off or a time to have a barbeque with friends and family. It’s a time to remember those who committed an unselfish act and gave their lives for their country.
