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By Paula Green
Happy Veterans Day! This significant holiday, celebrated on November 11, is primarily observed to thank veterans for their sacrifices. Some confuse it with Memorial Day, which is a time to remember those who gave their lives fighting for our country. Veterans Day honors all who have served our country in war or peace, living or deceased
This year marks 70 years since President Eisenhower signed the bill into law, which changed the holiday’s name to Veterans Day. Before that, the holiday was called Armistice Day, which observed the end of World War I. Fighting officially ended in 1918 when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In 1938, it became a federal holiday, primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I.
Unfortunately, “the war to end all wars” did not live up to its name. It was followed by World War II and the Korean War, so on June 1, 1954, at the urging of veterans’ service organizations, Congress amended the commemoration yet again by changing the word “armistice” to “veterans” so the day would honor American veterans of all wars.
There was a small period when Veterans Day was not celebrated on November 11. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Bill, which ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. This bill assigned the fourth Monday of October as Veterans Day, but many states disapproved of this decision. In 1975, President Gerald Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11, anchoring it to this historically significant day.
Birmingham, Alabama, was the first city to have a military celebration called a “Veterans Day Parade,” it took place on November 11, 1947. The New York City Veterans Day Parade is the oldest and most prominent in the country. The first one was held in 1919 (when it was still known as Armistice Day).
Arlington National Cemetery is home to the final resting place of more than 400,000 military service members and their families. As such, it holds an observance on Veterans Day every year at 11 a.m., when the World War I armistice was signed. During the Veterans Day commemoration at Arlington, guards lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and veterans organizations hold a parade of colors.
The United States is not the only country that honors veterans. Canada and Australia honor their country’s military personnel on November 11, but they call it Remembrance Day. The United Kingdom marks Remembrance Day on the second Sunday of November.
Finally, when writing Veterans Day, be sure to ditch the apostrophe because it doesn’t have one. Although Veterans Day does not include an apostrophe, it does include an “s” at the end of “veterans” because it is not a day that “belongs” to veterans; it is a day for honoring all veterans.
Northern Connection magazine thanks and honors all veterans for their outstanding service to our country. Enjoy your special day!
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