Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day: What’s the Difference? | San Diego, CA
Not Forgotten: Memorial Day Through the Eyes of a San Diego Military Funeral Photographer
What’s the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day? Learn the history and meaning behind both holidays through the lens of a San Diego-based military funeral photographer and veteran.
Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day: What’s the Difference?
Every year, people across the U.S. pause to honor the military. But many understandably confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day—two important yet distinct holidays.
Here’s the difference:
🔹 Memorial Day
Who it honors: U.S. service members who died while serving in the Armed Forces.
When: Observed on the last Monday in May.
Tone: A somber day of remembrance, not celebration.
Origin: Began after the Civil War in the 1860s as Decoration Day, when communities would decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. It became an official federal holiday in 1971.
🔹 Veterans Day
Who it honors: All U.S. military veterans, both living and deceased, with a focus on honoring the living.
When: Observed on November 11, the anniversary of the World War I armistice.
Tone: A day of gratitude and recognition.
Origin: First known as Armistice Day in 1919; renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to include veterans of all wars.
Why Are the Holidays So Often Confused?
The confusion is understandable—both holidays are patriotic, both involve flags, ceremonies, and military appreciation.
But for families who have lost a loved one in uniform, the difference is personal.
Memorial Day is not “military appreciation day.”
It’s about remembering those who gave their lives in service.
It's about the ultimate sacrifice—not just service, but loss.
Family members place their hands on a veteran’s cremation box in a final moment of honor and remembrance. - Miramar National Cemetery
Where Memorial Day and Veterans Day Overlap
While the purpose of Memorial Day and Veterans Day is different, they do share some common ground. Both are rooted in honoring military service, and both remind us of the cost and courage tied to the uniform.
That’s why many businesses offer military discounts or host patriotic events on both days. While well-intended, these gestures can sometimes blur the line between remembrance and celebration.
If you’re unsure how to respond on Memorial Day, a simple pause, a moment of silence, or visiting a local memorial speaks volumes. Honoring the fallen doesn’t always need words—just presence.
How to Honor Memorial Day in San Diego
San Diego is home to a deep military presence and several places where remembrance takes on a tangible form. If you’re looking for a meaningful way to observe Memorial Day:
Visit Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, where rows of white headstones overlook the Pacific. This sacred space honors thousands of fallen service members.
Walk the grounds of Miramar National Cemetery, where Memorial Day ceremonies are often held to remember our most recent heroes.
Reflect at Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial, a unique site that honors both living and fallen veterans from all wars and branches.
Attend a local Memorial Day ceremony or simply take a quiet moment at home to say the name of someone who never came home.
A lone bugler stands in quiet reverence, uniform crisp, posture steady, as the haunting notes of “Taps” rise into the San Diego sky.
At Miramar National Cemetery, his presence carries more than sound—it carries tradition, honor, and the final farewell owed to every service member. Each note he plays is a tribute to lives laid down, a signal of respect that echoes through grief and into legacy.
Through the Eyes of a San Diego Military Funeral Photographer
As a bereavement and military funeral photographer based in San Diego, I’ve stood in the quiet aftermath of service.
I’ve watched as families receive the folded flag.
I’ve captured the silent strength of a salute, the sacred hush as Taps plays, and the weight of goodbye.
I’m also a U.S. Navy veteran, and Memorial Day holds a unique place in my heart.
I photograph these moments not for display—but for legacy.
So families can remember. So children can see the honor in their father’s or mother’s final farewell.
So no one is forgotten.
Patriot Guard Riders escorting a fallen Veteran to their final resting place.
Not Forgotten
This Memorial Day, may we pause—before the BBQs, the beach, or the day off—and remember.
Remember the names etched in stone at Fort Rosecrans.
Remember the lives laid down so others might live free.
Remember the silent battles some never speak of, even in uniform.
I carry the memory of Petty Officer Second Class Bridgette Elexia Strzok, a fellow sailor and dear friend, who tragically passed away while still serving. Bridgette was a Fire Controlman in the U.S. Navy, known for her bright spirit and dedication to duty. I had the solemn honor of photographing her funeral—a sacred moment I’ll never forget. Her service mattered. Her story matters.
Freedom comes at a cost—sometimes seen, sometimes silent.
Not forgotten. Not ever. Not here.
Honoring PO2 Bridgette Elexia Strzok at her final resting place in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego.
Honoring PO2 Bridgette Elexia Strzok at her final resting place in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego.
Honoring Our Veterans: Fort Rosecrans and Miramar National Cemeteries
San Diego is home to two national cemeteries that serve our veteran community: Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery and Miramar National Cemetery. Though both are sacred spaces of remembrance, they serve slightly different purposes.
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, established in 1882 on Point Loma, is one of the oldest military cemeteries in the country. While it continues to accept cremated remains, it has reached capacity for casketed burials. Veterans who served honorably, those who died on active duty, and eligible family members may be laid to rest here. With its stunning ocean views and historic headstones, Fort Rosecrans remains a symbol of sacrifice and service.
Miramar National Cemetery, dedicated in 2010, was established to meet the growing need for burial space in San Diego. Located near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, it offers both casket and cremation interments. Like Fort Rosecrans, it serves all eligible veterans, their spouses, and dependents. Here is a BLOG post with some more Miramar History.
In recent years, advancements in DNA technology have allowed for the identification of previously unknown service members lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor, especially from the USS Oklahoma. Some of these long-lost heroes are now being named, honored, and buried with full military honors—including at national cemeteries here in San Diego.
Both sites—Fort Rosecrans and Miramar—stand as solemn reminders that freedom comes at a cost, and that our nation never forgets its own.
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