Memorial Day honors people who died while serving in the United States armed forces, rather than all living veterans.
Veterans Day honors all U.S. military veterans, whether they are living or deceased, while Memorial Day focuses specifically on those who died in military service. This distinction is one of the most common points of confusion between the two holidays.
Memorial Day developed from post-Civil War decoration traditions in which people decorated the graves of fallen soldiers. Congress made it a federal holiday, and the Uniform Monday Holiday Act placed its observance on the last Monday in May.
Veterans Day and Memorial Day both involve ceremonies, flags, and military remembrance, but their purposes differ. Veterans Day recognizes the broader community of former service members; Memorial Day is a day of mourning and remembrance for the fallen.