Inspiring Thank You Memorial Day Quotes to Honor Our Heroes

"May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn't free."

- Sgt. Major Bill Paxton

"And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me."

- Lee Greenwood

"Heroes never die. They live on in the hearts and minds of those who would follow in their footsteps."

- Emily Potter

"Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives."

- John Adams

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them."

- John F. Kennedy

"The legacy of heroes — the memory of a great name, and the inheritance of a great example."

- Benjamin Disraeli

"…And if words cannot repay the debt we owe these men, surely with our actions we must strive to keep faith with them and with the vision that led them to battle and to final sacrifice."

- Ronald Reagan

"Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death."

- Sun Tzu

"No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks."

- James Allen

"It’s better to fight for something in life than to die for nothing."

- Gen. George S. Patton

"Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices."

- Harry S. Truman

"Courage is more exhilarating than fear, and in the long run, it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just one step at a time."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

"Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die."

- G.K. Chesterton

"In the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it."

- Barack Obama

"We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For the love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue."

- James Garfield

"Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it."

- Mark Twain

"And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave, for glory lights the soldier’s tomb, and beauty weeps the brave."

- Joseph Rodman Drake

"The United States and the freedom for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we—in a less final, less heroic way–be willing to give of ourselves."

- Ronald Reagan

"Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history."

- Mary Roach

"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

- Nathan Hale

"This is the day we pay homage to all those who didn’t come home. This is not Veterans Day, it’s not a celebration, it is a day of solemn contemplation over the cost of freedom."

- Tamra Bolton

"There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured with what is right in America."

- William J. Clinton

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes."

- Maya Angelou

"Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future."

- Elie Wiesel

"O beautiful for heroes provedIn liberating strife,Who more than self their country loveAnd mercy more than life."

- America the Beautiful

"I have long believed that sacrifice is the pinnacle of patriotism."

- Bob Riley

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

- Winston Churchill

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God such men lived."

- George S. Patton

"The legacy of brave men and women who have fought and died for their country is the freedom we enjoy as Americans."

- Lucian Adams

"And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me."

- Lee Greenwood

"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example."

- Benjamin Disraeli

"For let the gods so speed me, as I love the name of honor more than I fear death."

- Julius Caesar

"The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude."

- Jeff Miller

"Americans may not only pay tribute to our honored dead but also unite in prayer for success in our search for a just and lasting peace."

- John F. Kennedy

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself."

- Joseph Campbell

"Veterans are a symbol of what makes our nation great, and we must never forget all they have done to ensure our freedom."

- Rodney Frelinghuysen

"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced."

- Abraham Lincoln

"Ceremonies are important. But our gratitude has to be more than visits to the troops and once-a-year Memorial Day ceremonies. We honor the dead best by treating the living well."

- Jennifer M. Granholm

"I was born an American; I will live an American; I shall die an American!"

- Daniel Webster

"For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue."

- James A. Garfield

"I see that the old flagpole still stands. Have your troops hoist the colors to its peak, and let no enemy ever haul them down."

- Douglas MacArthur

"The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten."

- Calvin Coolidge

"The veterans of our military services have put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms that we enjoy. They have dedicated their lives to their country and deserve to be recognized for their commitment."

- Judd Gregg

"Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay."

- Barack Obama

"This nation will remain the land of the free only as long as it is home of the brave."

- Elmer Davis

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

- John F. Kennedy

"May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn’t free."

- Sgt. Maj. Bill Paxton

"He who is brave is free."

- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them."

- John F. Kennedy

"A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom."

- Bob Dylan

"On this day, take time to remember those who have fallen. But on every day after, do more; put the freedoms they died for to greater and nobler uses."

- Richelle E. Goodrich

"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved."

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Liberty is never unalienable; it must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes. Of all the so-called natural human rights that have ever been invented, liberty is least likely to be cheap and is never free of cost."

- Robert A. Heinlein

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."

- Ronald Reagan

"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost."

- Arthur Ashe

"Duty, honor, country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be."

- Gen. Douglas MacArthur

"As we set today aside to honor and thank our veterans, let us be mindful that we should do this every day of the year and not just one."

- Beth Pennington

"Courage is found in unlikely places."

- J.R.R. Tolkien

"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave."

- Calvin Coolidge

"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world. A veteran does not have that problem."

- Ronald Reagan

"This is the day we pay homage to all those who didn't come home. This is not Veterans Day, it's not a celebration, it is a day of solemn contemplation over the cost of freedom."

- Tamra Bolton

"We sleep peaceably in our beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf."

- George Orwell

"Think about the past and consider the sacrifices men and women in the military have made for us."

- Gary G. Wetzel

"America without her soldiers would be like God without His angels."

- Claudia Pemberton

"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them."

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"For the love of country they accepted death."

- James A. Garfield

"The patriot's blood is the seed of freedom's tree."

- Thomas Campbell

"Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored."

- Daniel Webster

"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it."

- Thucydides

"It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle."

- Norman Schwarzkopf

"Heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion."

- Calvin Coolidge

"When duty calls, that is when character counts."

- William Safire

"Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just one step at a time."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

"The brave die never, though they sleep in dust, their courage nerves a thousand living men."

- Minot J. Savage

"America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand."

- Harry S. Truman

"Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, Blossomed by the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Freely we serve, because we freely love, as in our will to love or not; in this we stand or fall."

- John Milton

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!"

- Maya Angelou

"Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul."

- Michel de Montaigne

"The essence of patriotism lies in a willingness to sacrifice for one’s country, just as true greatness finds expression, not in blessings enjoyed, but in good bestowed."

- William Jennings Bryan

"The way to be patriotic in America is not only to love America, but to love the duty that lies nearest to our hand, and to know that in performing it we are serving our country."

- Woodrow Wilson

"It's better to fight for something in life than to die for nothing."

- Gen. George S. Patton

"The patriot’s blood is the seed of freedom’s tree."

- Thomas Campbell

"Be strong. Live honorably and with dignity. When you don’t think you can, hold on."

- James Frey

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"In the face of impossible odds, people who love this country, can change it."

- Barack Obama

"The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men."

- Minot J. Savage

"Our own heart, and not other men's opinions, forms our true honor."

- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

"Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality."

- Emily Dickinson

"Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid."

- Col. David Hackworth

"Heroism doesn't always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history."

- Mary Roach

"The secret of happiness is freedom, the secret of freedom is courage."

- Carrie Jones

"Here men endured that a nation might live."

- Herbert Hoover

"What I can do for my country, I am willing to do."

- Christopher Gadsen

"Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own."

- Michelle Obama

"Where liberty dwells, there is my country."

- Benjamin Franklin

"Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better."

- Albert Camus

"Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."

- Adlai E. Stevenson II

"Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth."

- George Washington

"In the aftermath, we are because they were."

- RJ Heller

"We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it."

- William Faulkner

"Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness."

"Home of the free, because of the brave."

"The brave may fall, but never yield."

"Home of the free because of the brave."

- Unknown

"May we never forget freedom isn't free."

"Memorial Day: celebrate, honor, remember."

"We don't know them all, but we owe them all."

"Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it."

- Unknown

"There are numerous ways to be brave, and they chose to die for the sake of the country. Let us remember to thank them on Memorial Day."

"A hero is someone who rises above his comforts and ambitions to achieve something extraordinary for others. We wish those heroes a Happy Memorial Day."

"They will live on in our hearts and memories forever. They will always inspire us with their stories. We wish our soldiers a Happy Memorial Day."

"They didn't even think about what would happen to them, but they went out and battled fearlessly. Warm greetings for Memorial Day."

"Let us strive together to make Memorial Day a memorable and purposeful day for our country's prosperity and development."

"Let us commemorate and respect the sacrifices of hundreds of men and women who lost their lives for the country on Memorial Day by bowing our heads in silence. Have a warm Memorial Day."

"Brave heroes live on in our memories and hearts, making them immortal. Let us remember and thank their sacrifice for bringing happiness into our life. Wishing you a Happy Memorial Day."

"It needs guts to keep the people's faith alive and to fight bravely for the people of the country. Our warriors deserve of utmost praise and respect. On this Memorial Day, sending you my best wishes."

"My buddy, I wish you a very Happy Memorial Day. Let us commemorate and honor all the courageous warriors on this day."

"True heroes never perish. They live on in our hearts and our prayers. Have a nice Memorial Day."

"The veterans that were killed. Let us convey our appreciation to them for being true fighters. On this Memorial Day, best wishes."

"My darling friend, an American is a patriot by birth since our forefathers gave their lives for the glory of the country. On this Memorial Day, I'm sending you my best wishes."

"Patriotism entails respecting your country in good and bad times, as well as sacrificing oneself for your country, as our military men and women do. Best wishes for Memorial Day, my friend."

"I wish you a happy Memorial Day and a peaceful future."

"As I think of you on Memorial Day, I want to enjoy this day that celebrates the spirit of our great nation, the United States of America, and the glory of our military men and women. Happy Memorial Day 2022."

"Memorial Day reminds me of the beautiful spirit of peace and freedom that troops give to their people. On this Memorial Day, best wishes to you and your family."

"On Memorial Day, let us remember all those who gave up their comforts and lives so that we might spend 365 days with our families. I wish you a Happy Memorial Day."

"The stories of valiant fallen warriors have the potential to instill bravery in the hearts of thousands of live men. This is the pride of every American soldier. Have a warm Memorial Day."

"Those who chose to die for their nation were not ordinary guys. The genuine immortal heroes were those who shed their blood. Keep them in mind with pride. Happy Memorial Day!"

"Home of the free, founded in 1776."

"Bold stripes, dazzling stars, and courageous hearts."

"God bless America, my beloved homeland."

"I enjoy the taste of liberty."

"One country, inseparable."