Memorial Day is being celebrated today across the U.S. This is a holiday we typically associate with barbeques and three-day weekends; however, the somber and nationally important reason we celebrate should be remembered, as well.

Here are a few websites that are showcasing the stories of veterans who have fought and died to preserve our freedom throughout America’s history. When sharing, don’t forget to tag your tweets #MemorialDay!

One of the pages getting shared around the tubes today is this collection of four amazing stories of wartime heroism, ranging from WWII and Vietnam to our present-day fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. These stories, like most stories of those who fight and die for their country, are profoundly touching and will serve as an instant reminder of why we celebrate today.

If you need visual reminders — or if you have images you’d like to share — Flickr has a pool for veteran remembrances and war memorials. This group of more than 13,500 photos features pictures of veterans, cemeteries, statuary and other monuments, such as the Vietnam Memorial.

Over at WhiteHouse.gov, President Obama’s weekly YouTube address centers on honoring men and women who’ve given their lives for our country:

Also from Washington, PBS’ Memorial Day Concert with the National Symphony Orchestra was filmed yesterday and will be rebroadcast on many local PBS television stations today. On the concert’s page, you can find listings for your area. You can also read and submit eulogies, read stories from various wars and learn about the meaning and history of Memorial Day.

And speaking of history, History.com has an amazing Memorial Day collection of images, videos and interactive content around this holiday. From Civil War battles to the D-Day invasion of Normandy, History.com has a ton of information for anyone who wants to learn more about the lives, battles and stories of American soldiers.

Finally, the Library of Congress has a special page dedicated to veterans. The Veterans History Project “collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war,” according to the website. Its pages contain audio and video of personal memoirs from soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, as well as images and personal correspondence. You can search for stories by conflict, by military branch, by gender, by whether the story is about a prisoner of war and more. You can also volunteer to interview others, be interviewed or donate a veteran’s collection through this site.

We at Mashable hope you’re all having a safe and happy Memorial Day as you honor the memory of our fallen troops.

[img credit: wstera2]

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Tags: concert, history, memorial day, military, obama, veterans

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