There are 1,440 minutes between midnight tonight and midnight Monday. Trust us, we did the math.

Across the nation, citizens will use those precious Memorial Day minutes for a wide variety of activities. No doubt most have already made plans for the day – beaches and boating, fishing and fireworks, shopping and sleeping, picnics and playing.

Before all 1,440 minutes are expired, we ask readers to take just one minute to remember the men and women who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we all have come to enjoy.

One minute to remember…

• the estimated 25,000 who died in the Revolutionary War.
• the estimated 623,000 who died in the Civil War.
• the 116,708 who died during two years of World War I and the 407,316 who perished during four years of World War II.
• the 36,914 who died fighting Communism in Korea and the 58,169 lives ended prematurely in Vietnam.
• the combined 6,049 killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in less than 10 years since 9/11.

In all, over 1.25 million soldiers, sailors and airmen were laid to rest while defending our nation — for us and our freedom. They deserve at least one minute of our time to thank and honor them.

In May of 2000, President Bill Clinton issued a memorandum establishing a National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day.

“As Memorial Day approaches, it is time to pause and consider the true meaning of this holiday,” the memo reads. “Memorial Day represents one day of national awareness and reverence, honoring those Americans who died while defending our Nation and its values. While we should honor these heroes every day for the profound contribution they have made securing our Nation’s freedom, we should honor them especially on Memorial Day.”

The memo asks all Americans to pause for one minute at 3 p.m. local time Monday “to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to provide freedom for all.”

A one-minute sacrifice of your time is little to ask for the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice so that you would be free to do what you will with the remaining 1,439 minutes.