Since 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in the Peace Corps. Among them, 309 made the ultimate sacrifice—losing their lives while serving in countries far from home. This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the men and women in uniform and remember those who wore no military badge, carried no weapon, and yet gave their lives in service to peace.
These fallen Peace Corps Volunteers were teachers, health workers, environmentalists, and friends. They believed that lasting peace begins with understanding, and they crossed oceans and borders with open hearts. In remote villages, bustling towns, and coastal communities, they worked alongside host country partners, learning new languages, honoring local customs, and living lives of humility and service.
Headlines or monuments do not mark their stories, but by the quiet legacy they leave behind—a student inspired, a well dug, a clinic built, a bridge of friendship formed.
On this day of remembrance, we honor their courage and conviction. They died while living the Peace Corps mission to promote world peace and friendship. Though they are no longer with us, their spirit lives on in the people they touched, the communities they served, and in all who continue the work they began.
May we carry forward their light bravely, compassionately, and purposefully. And may their memory be a blessing and a call to service for generations to come.
For more information on the fallen, please visit The Fallen Peace Corps Volunteers Memorial Project.