Military Observances

Find out the different military observances and the differences between each day.

Armed Forces Day. Observed the third Saturday in May, this day is for all who currently serve and all who have served, both active and former, in the reserves, National Guard or on active duty, including the Coast Guard.  It replaced separate days that honored various branches of the military (Army, Air Force and Navy).

Veterans Day. Celebrated annually on November 11, this day of observance is for all living and deceased who have served in the military.

Memorial Day. Celebrated annually on the last Monday in May, this day of observance is for all who died while serving

National Guard Birthday Celebrated December 13, honors all citizen-soldiers who have civilian jobs but are available to provide support and protection for the states’ civilians. They may be called for military operations at a national level.

Within this Collection

SC Veteran Remembers the Vietnam War

Video

From June 1969 through June 1970, Army Specialist 5th Class Karl Naugle served in the Vietnam War. As an artillery surveyor, his job was to drop into an area and mark the location for support cannons...
Return To Normandy | South Carolinians In WW II
Episode 1

Video

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, many veterans make the journey to France to remember the battle that took place. For the remaining veterans still alive, this...
A New Front, Part 8
Episode 8

Video

After the victory in Italy, the next large-scale campaign would be “Operation Overlord”: a massive allied mobilization by the Americans and the British, to drive the Germans out of France. American...