Thank You Veterans Quotes: 16 Lines With Their Sources
16 verified thank-you quotes for veterans from Lincoln, Kennedy, Reagan, Obama and more, each with its source, context and when to use it in a card.
By GreetingBirds EditorsUpdated October 9, 20269 min read
Five of the sixteen quotes on this page were spoken in the same spot: the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery, where presidents traditionally speak on the morning of November 11. The others come from an inaugural address, a letter to a Marine, a war memorial on the National Mall and a general's farewell to West Point.
Every line below is quoted word for word, with the speaker, the occasion and the year, and checked against a transcript or archive (the American Presidency Project, the National Park Service, the Founders Online archive and Wikiquote's sourced entries). Under each one is a short note on where it comes from and when it fits. Further down: how to pair a quote with your own words, which quotes suit which occasion, and two famous lines we could not verify.
Thank-You Lines That Work in a Card
These three say "thank you" most directly, so they sit comfortably above a signature or at the top of a Veterans Day post.
"To them and to all who have served, in every battle, in every war, we say that it's never too late to say thank you. We honor your service; we are forever grateful." — Barack Obama, Remarks at a Veterans Day Ceremony, Arlington, Virginia, November 11, 2009
Obama said this right after acknowledging that Vietnam veterans "often came home greeted not with gratitude or support, but with condemnation and neglect." That context makes it a good choice for an older veteran, especially one who served in Vietnam and may never have been thanked at the time. The second sentence works on its own for a short card.
"Whether you fought in Salerno or Samarra, Khe Sanh or the Korengal, you are part of an unbroken chain of men and women who have served this country with honor and distinction. On behalf of a proud and grateful nation, we thank you." — Barack Obama, Remarks at a Veterans Day Ceremony, Arlington, Virginia, November 11, 2011
The place names span World War II (Salerno), Iraq (Samarra), Vietnam (Khe Sanh) and Afghanistan (the Korengal Valley). That "unbroken chain" idea suits a family with several generations of service: a grandfather, a mother and a son can all see themselves in it.
"From Valley Forge to Vietnam, from Kuwait to Kandahar, from Berlin to Baghdad, our veterans have borne the costs of America's wars, and they have stood watch over America's peace." — George W. Bush, Remarks at a Veterans Day Ceremony, Arlington, Virginia, November 11, 2006
Bush's line makes an important point: most service happens in peacetime. "Stood watch over America's peace" is a respectful way to thank someone who served stateside or between conflicts and sometimes feels their service "doesn't count." It does, and this quote says so.
On Service and Citizenship
These quotes are about what it means to serve and what the country owes in return. They suit a speech, a workplace tribute or a card to someone who went on to serve in another way: as a teacher, nurse, police officer or volunteer.
"When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen…" — George Washington, Address to the New York Provincial Congress, June 26, 1775
Washington wrote this eleven days after being named commander of the Continental Army, partly to reassure New York's leaders that the army would not seize power. The line is carved in the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington, and Obama quoted it there in 2009. It's a good fit for a veteran who is active in their community.
"…to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan…" — Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865
Lincoln spoke these words a month before the Civil War ended, in the closing sentence that begins "With malice toward none, with charity for all." It's a promise, not a thank-you, which makes it a strong opener for a speech about supporting veterans and their families or for a fundraiser card.
"Duty, Honor, Country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be." — Douglas MacArthur, Sylvanus Thayer Award acceptance speech, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, May 12, 1962
MacArthur, then 82, was saying farewell to the cadets of his old school. "Duty, Honor, Country" is the Academy's motto, so this one lands best with Army veterans and West Point graduates. For anyone else, the first five words make a clean caption.
"Some people work an entire lifetime and wonder if they ever made a difference to the world. But the Marines don't have that problem." — Ronald Reagan, letter to Lance Cpl. Joe Hickey, 1983 (as sourced on Wikiquote)
Marines quote this one constantly, and it's usually remembered as "live an entire lifetime." Wikiquote gives "work" and dates the line to a September 23, 1983 letter, with a reference to R. W. "Dick" Gaines. It's playful and proud, perfect for a Marine on November 10 (the Marine Corps birthday) or Veterans Day.
Words From Proclamations and Monuments
These come from the official history of the day itself. Use them when you want to explain why November 11 matters, in a school assembly, a newsletter or a post.
"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory…" — Woodrow Wilson, Armistice Day proclamation, November 1919
These were the first official presidential words about November 11, written a year after the World War I armistice. The day was then about those who died; it was widened to honor all veterans in 1954. Quoting it is a good way to show how the holiday has changed.
"On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom…" — Dwight D. Eisenhower, Proclamation 3071, Veterans Day, October 8, 1954
Eisenhower, himself a five-star Army general, issued the first proclamation using the name "Veterans Day" a few months after Congress renamed the holiday. It's formal and dignified, suited to a program, plaque or official message.
"Today we are here to celebrate and to honor and to commemorate the dead and the living, the young men who in every war since this country began have given testimony to their loyalty to their country and their own great courage." — John F. Kennedy, Remarks at the Veterans Day Ceremony, Arlington National Cemetery, November 11, 1961
Kennedy, a Navy veteran of World War II, opened his remarks with "celebrate" and "the living." If anyone asks whether Veterans Day is a happy occasion or a sad one, this line answers: it's both.
"Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met." — Inscription, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C., dedicated July 27, 1995
The memorial was dedicated on the 42nd anniversary of the Korean War armistice. The Korean War is often called the "Forgotten War," so this inscription means a lot to the dwindling number of Korean War veterans and their families. It's the most moving choice on this page for a grandparent who served in Korea.
For Remembrance, When the Day Feels Heavy
For many veterans, November 11 also means remembering people who didn't come home. These quieter quotes fit a memorial service, a sympathy note to a military family, or a post honoring a veteran who has died. If you're writing to a grieving family, our guide to what to say at a funeral can help with the words around the quote.
"This day is dedicated to all who answered the call to service, whether they live in honor among us or sleep in valor beneath this sacred ground." — George W. Bush, Remarks at a Veterans Day Ceremony, Arlington, Virginia, November 11, 2006
This sentence covers both the living and the dead in a single, balanced line, so it works for a family that has a living veteran and also lost someone in service.
"…they gave up two lives—the one they were living and the one they would have lived." — Ronald Reagan, Remarks at the Veterans Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony, Arlington National Cemetery, November 11, 1985
Reagan was speaking about the young men buried at Arlington, many of whom were "boys when they died." The quote fits Memorial Day too, or a tribute to someone who died young in service. It is too heavy for a cheerful Veterans Day card to a living veteran.
"I do not believe that any nation in the history of the world has buried its soldiers farther from its native soil than we Americans—or buried them closer to the towns in which they grew up." — John F. Kennedy, Remarks at the Veterans Day Ceremony, Arlington National Cemetery, November 11, 1961
Kennedy's second line is about home: Americans serve far away, but the loss is felt close to home, on Main Street. It suits a small-town ceremony or a hometown newspaper tribute.
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." — Winston Churchill, speech in the House of Commons, August 20, 1940
Churchill was praising the Royal Air Force pilots in the Battle of Britain, not American veterans. It's widely quoted on Veterans Day and Remembrance Day all the same. If you use it, adding "Churchill, 1940" tells readers you know where it came from, and it suits an Air Force veteran especially well.
"…old soldiers never die; they just fade away." — Douglas MacArthur, address to a joint session of Congress, April 19, 1951, quoting a barracks ballad
MacArthur wasn't the author. He was quoting a soldiers' song he remembered from his early Army days, and he used it to close his 52-year career. It works as a warm, slightly wistful line for a retirement from the service or a card to an older veteran with a sense of humor.
Which Quote for Which Occasion
| Occasion | Good picks | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Card to a living veteran | Obama 2009, Bush "Valley Forge", Obama 2011 | Direct thanks, upbeat |
| Speech or school assembly | Wilson 1919, Eisenhower 1954, Kennedy 1961 | They explain the day's history |
| Workplace tribute | Washington 1775, Lincoln 1865 | About service continuing after the uniform |
| Korean War veteran | Korean War Veterans Memorial inscription | Written for exactly them |
| Marine | Reagan 1983 letter | Proud, a little cheeky |
| Memorial or sympathy note | Bush "sleep in valor", Reagan 1985 | Quiet and respectful |
How to Use a Quote Without Sounding Borrowed
A quote alone can feel like something copied off a poster. A quote plus one sentence of your own feels like a message. Try this order:
- The quote, credited. Name the speaker and year; it shows care.
- A bridge sentence connecting it to the person: "That's you, Grandpa." / "I think of you every time I read this."
- Your own thank-you, as plain as you like.
Example: "'We honor your service; we are forever grateful.' — Barack Obama, 2009. Uncle Joe, you never got a parade when you came home from Vietnam, so consider this one late, loud and sincere. Thank you." The bridge sentence does the real work; the quote just frames it.
A few practical notes:
- Trimming is fine, but mark it with an ellipsis (…) and don't change the meaning.
- Check the occasion. Quotes about the fallen belong on Memorial Day or in sympathy notes, not in a cheerful card to someone who came home.
- Keep it to one quote. Two famous lines in one card start to compete.
If you'd rather skip quotes entirely, our thank-you message ideas and tips for writing in greeting cards cover writing it in your own words.
Two Famous Lines We Couldn't Verify
You'll find both of these on countless Veterans Day graphics. Neither appears on this list because we couldn't trace them to their supposed author.
- "The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation." Usually credited to George Washington. Mount Vernon lists it among spurious Washington quotations, and a 2019 Check Your Fact review found no record of it in his papers.
- "The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten." Commonly attributed to Calvin Coolidge (no primary source found). Coolidge did say, in a passage recorded on Wikiquote, that America could turn to her veterans and say "These are our defenders. They are invincible. In them is our safety," but we found no source for the shorter, more famous version.
If you love one of these lines, you can still use it. Just write "often attributed to…" rather than presenting it as a sure quote.
