MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Every Nov. 11, millions of Americans gather to attend parades, parties and celebrations to honor veterans of all services and continue the tradition of Veterans Day.
Although some may confuse it with Memorial Day, Veterans Day is not a day to mourn fallen service members, but a day to thank and recognize veterans who served and are still serving their country in war and peace.
“The importance of Veterans Day is that people still recognize our sacrifice to our country,” said Oscar Pearson Jr., a volunteer and resident at the Veterans Village of San Diego. “A lot of times we’re forgotten and people should remember that a lot of those guys from Korea and Vietnam are still here and alive.”
Veterans Day has a long history that began with the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, in 1918 when the Allied nations and Germany agreed to an armistice that temporarily stopped hostilities between the countries involved in World War I.
After the countries signed the Treaty of Versailles June 28, 1919, the Great War ended. That same year President Woodrow Wilson declared the first “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11. The original concept of Armistice Day involved a two-minute break in the work day beginning at 11 a.m.
Beginning Nov. 11, 1921, the day also marked the founding of the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery, also known as The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier, has never been officially named.
The country began observing the day with parades and celebrations, and by 1926 more than 27 states proclaimed Nov. 11 a holiday.
Armistice Day officially became a federal holiday May 13, 1938. The U.S. chose the day to recognize the WWI veterans and “the war to end all wars.”
After World War II and the Korean War, the country had millions of veterans due to the mass mobilization of troops during the wars. The need to change the name became apparent to the veterans’ service organizations of the time.
At the insistence of the veterans’ service organizations, the 83rd U.S. Congress changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954 to commemorate veterans of all wars.
“I have today signed a proclamation calling upon all of our citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, 1954 as Veterans Day,” said President Dwight D. Eisenhower in a letter to Harvey V. Higley, administrator of Veterans’ Affairs Oct. 8, 1954. “It is my earnest hope that all veterans, their organizations, and the entire citizenry will join hands to insure proper and widespread observance of this day.”
Americans observed Veterans Day on Nov. 11 until 1971 when the “Monday Holiday Law” changed the national observance day to the fourth Monday of October. However, most states continued to observe the holiday on Nov. 11 and in 1978 Congress returned the holiday to its original date.
Today, people celebrate Veterans Day in numerous ways. The President lays a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknowns, which contains the remains of three anonymous service members from WWI, WWII and the Korea War.
Americans celebrate Veterans Day much the same way they celebrated when congress first established it 91 years ago. It is a continuing reminder that service members helped found our country in 1776 and continued to keep it safe throughout every war in U.S. history.
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