This Memorial Day, 76% of Americans have a favorable opinion of the U.S. military. Just 14% have an unfavorable opinion.

The celebrations hit close to home for millions of Americans. Sadly, 30% know someone who has given their life while serving the country. Blacks and those 50 and older are more likely than others to know someone who died in military service. Forty-one percent 41% have friends or relatives who are currently serving our country in Iraq.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) will do something special to celebrate and honor those who have given their lives for our country. That figure includes 23% who will attend a memorial service on Memorial Day. Most (56%) plan to commemorate the holiday by having a cookout with friends or family. Twenty-eight percent (28%) will watch or participate in a parade. Married couples are more likely to go to a parade than non-married couples.

Forty-three percent (43%) of Americans say Memorial Day is one of the nation’s most important holidays. Just 5% think Memorial Day is among the least important while 50% place it somewhere in between. Christmas and the Fourth of July are considered the nation’s most important holidays.

Finally, though the calendar may say that summer comes in June, two-out-of-three Americans (68%) consider Memorial Day the unofficial start of summer. Twenty-three percent (23%) disagree.

Memorial Day was first officially celebrated on May 30, 1868 to honor those who died in the Civil War. Due to the divisions that remained in the nation at that time, Southern States did not celebrate the holiday until after World War I. Following that "War to end all wars", the observance was changed to recognize soldiers who had given their life in any war.

In 1971, Congress established the last Monday in May as Memorial Day to ensure a three-day weekend. This may have added to the changing focus of the holiday from honoring fallen servicemen and women to the "unofficial beginning of summer."

Rasmussen Reports conducts ongoing surveys measuring the attitudes of Americans on the news of the day. Recent surveys have asked about immigration, the Pope’s comments on pro-choice politicians, the DC Madam, gun control, and the Supreme Court decision on partial-birth abortion. The latest updates can be found on the Rasmussen Reports home page.

Rasmussen Reports regularly tracks public attitudes towards Congress, the War on Terror, and other topics. Rasmussen Reports also continuously updates favorability ratings and general election match-ups for all Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates along with ratings for Members of Congress, Other Political Figures, and Journalists. The President’s Job Approval ratings are updated daily.