Memorial Day 2011 - Let's Take A Moment

To most Americans Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to summer.  The weekend is celebrated with family gatherings, picnics and bar-b-ques, but let's not forgot the real meaning behind this day.  It is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to our country.  Luckily for my family, all of my brothers, nephew and niece came home from the various wars unharmed.  So please take a few moments out of your day and remember all of our military, each and everyone of them is a hero in my book.

America's War Dead From the Revolutionary War to Iraq

Throughout our history, thousands of brave Americans have died serving their country and fighting for their beliefs.  From the early days of the American Revolution to our current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the numbers of battle deaths speak to the sacrifices our soldiers, and their families, have made.

American Revolution (1775-1783)	4,435
War of 1812 (1812-1815)	2,260
Mexican War (1846-1848)	1,733
Civil War (1861-1865)	140,414 (Union); 74,524 (Confederate)
Spanish-American War (1898-1902)	385
World War I (1917-1918)	53,402
World War II (1941-1945)	291,557
Korean War (1950-1953)	33,686
Vietnam War (1964-1975)	47,410
Gulf War (1990-1991)	147
Afghanistan War (2001-present)	1,527 (as of April 7, 2011)
Iraq War (2003-present)	4,446 (as of April 7, 2011)