Military Memorials and Honors

Commemoration of military service at memorials and cemeteries, highlighting poignant moments of remembrance and respect for veterans.

Visitors at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C, USA. (Editorial Use Only)

Visitors at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C, USA. (Editorial Use Only)

U.S. Army paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade wait to raise the U.S. flag during a ceremony honoring the fallen U.S. troops in Operation Overlord or D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery in Coleville, France, May 29, 2022. On June 6, 1944, more than 150,000 soldiers from the Allied Forces stormed Normandy Beach in what is known as the largest seaborne invasion in history. Approximately 4,000 soldiers lost their lives, and the battle changed the course of World War ll. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. (U.S. Army photograph by Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk)

United States, Washington, D.C. The Korean War Memorial near the Lincoln Memorial on June 4, 2006.

Spanish Minister of Defense Margarita Robles watches the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., May 19, 2022.

Miniature American flags were placed at the base of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the day of the state funeral for the Unknown Serviceman of the Vietnam Era. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Korean War memorial in Washington, DC

Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC,a marble wall with names of fallen soldiers at the Vietnam War.Close-up shot of the names of the soldiers,United States,USA

Famous Washington DC Iwo Jima Marine Memorial of flag raising in bronze to help end World War II

U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial Arlington National Cemetery Arlington Virginia, USA

Lincoln Memorial, reflection Vietnam Memorial, The Wall, Washington DC

Usa, Virginia, Arlington. Iwo Jima Memorial, Sunset Parade which consists of a performance of 'The Commandant's Own' Drum and Bugle Corps, the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard.

Washington, Dc. Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Vietnam Veterans Memorial an der National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington DC, District of Columbia, USA *** Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington DC, District of Columbia, USA

The Korean War memorial in Washington, DC

Camille Touton (back left), commissioner, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; Michael Brian (back right), deputy commissioner, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; David Palumbo (front left), deputy commissioner of operations, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; and Grayford Payne (front right), deputy commissioner of policy administration and budget, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; participate in a Public Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 16, 2022.

DN-ST-85-12247. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

USA, Virginia, Arlington. An American military officer salutes at the Guarded Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery.

George Washington Memorial Parkway - Granite Walls of Vietnam Memorial. A group of people walk by the Vietnam Memorial. In the distance looms the Washington Monument. Washington, District of Columbia (38.891° N 77.047° W)

Kennedy graves in Arlington cemetery, Virginia, United States of America, North America

Washington, DC, National WWII Memorial (Editorial Usage Only)

Marines with the Official U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard stand at the position of attention during a Tuesday Sunsent Parade at the Marine Corps War Memorial, Arlington, Va., June 26, 2023. The hosting official for the evening was Mrs. Dee Reardon, Assistant Deputy Commandant Installation and Logistics, and the guest of honor was the Honorable William L. LaPlante, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquistion and Sustainment.

A tomb guard walks the mat at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., May 30, 2022.

Okinawan looking at Memorial during the Mabuni Hill Commemorative Ceremony. Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Butler State: Okinawa Country: Japan (JPN)

Marine Corps Memorial with the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the Capitol in the background. - AA09068

A visitor places a memento at the base of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the day before its official dedication. Base: Washington State: District Of Columbia (DC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The Marine Corps War Memorial, Washington Monument, US Capitol, Washington DC. Memorial shows the Raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima in World War II.

Army soldier walking near a memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA

U.S. Marine Corps War MemorialArlington National CemeteryArlingtonVirginia, USA

USA, Washington DC. Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Names of Dead, Washington Monument Reflection (Large format sizes available).

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, for tours, discussions with local officials

Major-General Samuel Smith statue and US flag in Federal Hill Park, Baltimore

Veterans Day ceremony and aftermath at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C., where Secretary Dirk Kempthorne delivered the opening remarks, and joined participating dignitaries including the former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell, along with Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Founder and President Jan Scruggs, Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation Founder and President Diane Carlson Evans, Mary "Edie" Meeks of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation, William Hansen of Lockheed Martin, and William Murdy of Comfort Systems. Ceremony, co-hosted by the Memorial Fund and the National Park Service, highlighted the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) with the Capitol Building, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial in the background. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DM-SC-88-08367. Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The Wall of Remembrance at the HMAS Sydney Memorial honouring the 645 crew members who lost their lives in a sea battle in 1941, engraved in the black granite wall are the names of the lost men, Geraldton, Mid West region, Western Australia,8/4/2010

Veterans Day ceremony and aftermath at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C., where Secretary Dirk Kempthorne delivered the opening remarks, and joined participating dignitaries including the former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell, along with Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Founder and President Jan Scruggs, Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation Founder and President Diane Carlson Evans, Mary "Edie" Meeks of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation, William Hansen of Lockheed Martin, and William Murdy of Comfort Systems. Ceremony, co-hosted by the Memorial Fund and the National Park Service, highlighted the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Rear view of two people at a memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington DC, USA

World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., USA.

Italian Ambassador to the U.S. Mariangela Zappia (left) and Italian Air Force Maj. Gen. Maurizio Cantiello (center), defense attaché, Embassy of Italy, participate in a Public Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., March 28, 2023. The wreath-laying was in honor of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Italian Air Force and included a flyover of four T6 aircrafts.

A ceremonial wreath placed by US President Joe Biden rests inside the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial during the 21st 9/11 Pentagon Observance Ceremony on Sept. 11, 2022, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)

A sailor contemplates the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial. (Iwo Jima Memorial). Base: Arlington State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Usa, Virginia, Arlington. Iwo Jima Memorial, Sunset Parade which consists of a performance of 'The Commandant's Own' Drum and Bugle Corps, the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard.

Vietnam Memorial, Battery Park

Vietnam Memorial _ Washington DC, USA

E.R. Antivert placing wreath at Tomb of Unknown Soldier circa 1938.

Hawaii, Oahu, Pearl Harbor. Uss Arizona Memorial

U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Statue), Arlington, Va. , Monuments & memorials, Tichnor Brothers Collection, postcards of the United States

Viet Nam War Memorial at Battleship Memorial Park Mobile Alabama

A medium close-up shot from a low angle looking up as the Stars and Stripes flies behind the head of the warrior statue at the Special Operations Memorial. A dedication ceremony, sponsored by the Special Operations Memorial Foundation, took place on May 24th, 1999, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Base: Macdill Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

WASHINGTON, USA, AUGUST 20, 2019: Famous Iwo Jima memorial in Washington D.C., USA, North America

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates visits the Center for the Intrepid and the Fisher Houses in San Antonio, Texas, May 3, 2007. The Center for the Intrepid, which opened in January, is a state-of-the-art medical treatment facility for wounded servicemembers and their families.

USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii, United States, North America

United States Marine Corps War Memorial, Washington DC, United States of America

North America, USA, Mississippi, Natchez Trace Parkway, Tupelo National Battlefield, Civil War Canon and Monument

We Remember Those Who Died

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson pays his respects to those lives who were lost and injuring during a wreath-laying ceremony at the August 7th Memorial Park in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 11, 2018.

USA, HAWAII, OAHU, PEARL HARBOR, BATTLESHIP ROW, USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL

A U.S. Army Soldier from the 4th Battalion, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) stands guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located in Arlington National Cemetery, VA, amidst a snowstorm on January 19, 2024. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is watched over 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

CANADA Nova Scotia Lunenburg Memorial to men and women who lost there lives at sea

(From left to right) Charles Alexander, Jr., superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery; Defense Attaché to the US and Canada Rear Adm. Garl Gillis; Belgian Chief of Defence Adm. Michel Hofmann and Belgian Navy Commander Rear Adm. Jan De Beurme view the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., April 5, 2023. Hofmann was at ANC to participate in a Public Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Hofman also returned three recently re-ribboned Croix de Guerre Belgian medals which were originally presented to the Unknown Soldiers.

Visitors participate in the first Flowers of Remembrance Day at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., May 28, 2022. Visitors were given the opportunity to cross the plaza and place a flower in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This event pays homage to the first official Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day, which originally took place at the cemetery in 1868 as a way to honor the sacrifices of those who fought and died in the Civil War.

The crew of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) participates in a wreath-laying ceremony at the American Battle Monuments Commissions Utah Beach Memorial during the ships visit to its namesake region of Normandy, France as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, Nov. 16, 2022. The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is on its inaugural deployment conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navys commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region.

A Green Beret assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) places a rose on a Soldiers memorial stone during the 3 SFG (A) Rose Laying Ceremony at Fort Bragg, NC, May 25, 2022. Gold star family members, friends and fellow Soldiers gathered in remembrance of Soldiers who have died while deployed and honored their memory by placing a single rose on top of their memorial stone.

Tourists at National World War II Memorial. Washington D.C. United States.

Following an Astronauts Memorial Foundation tribute honoring U.S. Air Foce Maj. Robert Lawrence, a wreath was place at the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kenendy Space Center Visitor Compelx. Selected in 1967 for the Manned Orbiting Laboratory Program, Lawrence was the first African-American astronaut. He lost his life in a training accident 50 years ago. The ceremony took place in the Center for Space Education at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Col. Mark A. Denton, commander of the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade (Theater), lays a wreath during a ceremony remembering the fallen paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division in Beuzeville au Plain, France, June 1, 2022. During D Day operations a C47 carrying 17 paratroopers was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crash landed, killing 5 crew and the paratroopers. (U.S. Army photograph by Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk)

Flags hang from the Washington State Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Olympia, Washington, Sept. 13, 2022. This memorial was the first stop along the memorial motorcycle ride held during POW/MIA Remembrance Week hosted by Team McChord to honor the more than 81,000 Americans who are still missing in action.

A view of the entrance gate and rows of white gravestones at the Annapolis National Cemetery, Annapolis, Maryland.

Lompoc Cemetery hosted the Memorial Day ceremony in Lompoc, Calif., May 30, 2022. Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, commemorates the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to the United States.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III visited Arlington National Cemetery Aug. 31 to pay his respects to fallen U.S. military warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the nation, to include the 2,461 heroes who never made it home from Afghanistan. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders)

DN-ST-90-00244. Base: Yorktown State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Vietnam Memorial Wall Crowds Washington DC

Gettysburg Pennsylvania famous Gettysburg Battlefield from Civil War with cannons and Peace Eternal Flame

USA - Washington D.C.: Korean War Veterans Memorial

Usa, Virginia, Arlington. Iwo Jima Memorial, Sunset Parade which consists of a performance of 'The Commandant's Own' Drum and Bugle Corps, the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard.

Usmc War Memorial Iwo Jima 1945 Washington Dc

National September 11 Memorial, World Trade Center, New York City, New York, USA

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Williamsburg, Virginia, for Colonial National Historical Park touring, discussions with National Park Service Director Mary Bomar and Colonial National Historical Park staff, and keynote address at the 2007 National Association of State Park Directors and National Park Service Leadership Council Conference

USA, New York, Manhattan, the south pool of the World Trade Center 9/11 National Memorial.

USS ARIZONA Memorial, maintained by the National Park Service. Base: Naval Station, Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii(HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Veterans Day ceremony and aftermath at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C., where Secretary Dirk Kempthorne delivered the opening remarks, and joined participating dignitaries including the former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell, along with Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Founder and President Jan Scruggs, Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation Founder and President Diane Carlson Evans, Mary "Edie" Meeks of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation, William Hansen of Lockheed Martin, and William Murdy of Comfort Systems. Ceremony, co-hosted by the Memorial Fund and the National Park Service, highlighted the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Veterans Memorial Plaza is shown May 12, 2022, at the Commemorative Area at Fort McCoy, Wis. The 900 block of Fort McCoy and the 11-acre area surrounding it are at the hub of the forts history-preservation efforts and is called the Commemorative Area. The Commemorative Area consists of five World War II-era buildings set aside to help tell Fort McCoy's unique story. These facilities are representative of the types found in the cantonment area when it was constructed in 1942. Three of the buildings an administrative facility, a dining facility, and a barracks are set up to depict Soldier life during the 1940s. Display items include a World War II chapel, bunk beds, footlockers, mannequins, and potbelly stoves. Another building highlights four different modern military training venues, and a separate facility shows various training aids. The area also has the Equipment Park. Veterans Memorial Plaza is a tribute to all of the men and women who have served the nation during each era of F

A tomb guard from the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) walks the mat during snowfall at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Jan. 19, 2024.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he participated in ceremonies commemorating the 144th anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, conversed with National Park Service staff and visitors, and toured the Park, including the construction site for the new Visitors Center

The National Ensign, Marine Corps Colors, and wreath adorn the recently dedicated Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Memorial on The Basic School, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, July 8, 2022. The memorial was created to recognize those Marine Corps lieutenants who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, the Marine Corps, and their fellow Marines.

Army soldier walking near a memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA

George Washington Memorial Parkway - D-Day Reminder at World War II Memorial. Statements, associated with significant War dates, surround the plaza of the World War II Memorial. Washington, District of Columbia (38.890° N 77.041° W)

Wreaths at the U.S. World War II Memorial ,Washington D.C.

Vintage Photograph. Statue of military heroism with the twin towers in the background at sunset.

This wreath, placed on behalf of President Joseph R. Biden Jr., stands as a tribute to former President Warren G. Harding at his Marion, Ohio, tomb, July 16, 2022. The wreath was placed by Brig. Gen. John M. Dreska, commanding general, 311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, during the ceremony.

DN-ST-86-08693. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A memorial is displayed during the National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony hosted by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 16, 2022. The event is held every year on the third Friday of September, honoring prisoners of war and missing-in-action service members. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

USA, Washington DC, National Mall, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Memorial Wall with the names of those killed or missing in action during the Vietnam War.

The statue of Women in Vietnam at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC

Wreaths, honoring the fallen soldiers and service members of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, were placed by French and U.S. service members, ambassadors, advocates, survivors and their families at the Normandy American Cemetery, France, May 29, 2022. The ceremony included both French and U.S. service members, including Soldiers from V Corps, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Band & Chorus, to commemorate the 78th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. (U.S. Army photos by Pfc. Destinee Rodriguez)

ITOMAN, Japan (June 22, 2022) Logistics Specialist 1st Class Keith L. Russell, assigned to the 30th Naval Construction Regiment, participates in a candle lighting at the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman, Okinawa, Japan, June 22, 2022. The candle lighting was held on the eve of Okinawa Memorial Day, a prefectural holiday honoring those who died during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. Peace Memorial Park is built on Mabuni Hill, the location of the end of the battle and the current site of memorial walls naming the more than 200,000 dead from all involved nations. This is the first candle lighting held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Navy Sailors from Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa (CFAO) and tenant commands took part in the lighting. CFAO maintains and operates facilities to support the U.S. Navy's naval and aviation assets in the Indo-Pacific region.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, for tours, discussions with local officials

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