Memorial Day is this coming Monday which for many signifies cooking out and a day off with family. But it’s critical that we never lose sight of the true meaning of the day.

This day is meant for all Americans to say thank you to the servicemen and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

They are true heroes, allowing the rest of us to enjoy the freedom and democracy that we experience every single day.

What better way to remember the struggle for freedom than with these historical images – five of the most iconic war photos of all time.

Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima – 1945

The Flag on Iwo Jima raised Feb. 23, 1945 pic.twitter.com/UrgCznQjx7 — Historical Images (@Historicalmages) May 21, 2017

This photo, by Joe Rosenthal, depicts six U.S. Marines raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.

The photo won the Pulitzer Prize in photography during the same year of its release, the only time that has ever happened.

Christian Golczynski – 2007

Eight-year-old Christian Golczynski receives the flag that covered the coffin of his father, U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Marcus Golczynski. pic.twitter.com/FeBbYLiE24 — HardingVeterans (@HardingVets) November 14, 2016

The image of Christian Golczynski receiving the flag that covered the coffin of his father, U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Marcus Golczynski manages to capture the pain of a son who lost his father and the bravery he tries to exude during that loss.

Marcus Golczynski died from wounds suffered during combat operations in Iraq. He was just two weeks away from the end of his second deployment.

Ken Kozakiewicz – 1991

A wounded Ken Kozakiewicz, left, cries when told of death of fellow tank crewman,in bodybag at right, Feb28,1991 pic.twitter.com/yMlg1prvup — AmericasMilitaryHist (@AmericasMilHist) August 24, 2016

Kozakiewicz was captured mourning the loss of his friend, fellow soldier Andy Alaniz, who was the victim of friendly fire on the final day of fighting in the Gulf War.

It is a sobering reminder of the humanity lost during times of war.

Mushroom Cloud Over Nagasaki – 1945

Mushroom cloud from the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, pic.twitter.com/2m3P1UQbzU — utk tun (@utktun) January 19, 2017

An image of the mushroom cloud left in the wake of an atomic bomb drop over Nagasaki symbolized two things – the beginning of the nuclear era, and the end of the second world war.

The ‘Fat Man’ bomb was the second dropped in Japan, three days after Hiroshima, leveling the city and killing nearly 80,000 people.

The Kiss – 1945

The Kiss that Signalled the End of World War II. Photography by Alfred Eisenstaedt pic.twitter.com/GQTYoPAVnP — History In Pictures (@HistoryInPix) January 28, 2017

Published in Life in 1945, the image depicted the jubilation felt by sailors returning from the war as well as those greeting them back home.

The caption read, “In New York’s Times Square a white-clad girl clutches her purse and skirt as an uninhibited sailor plants his lips squarely on hers.”

In recent years, far-left kooks have derided the image as depicting sexual assault.

Like and share this list of historic war photos this Memorial Day.