We celebrate Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) in the United States on November 11th. It is reserved as the day we honor military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Our celebration coincides with celebrations in several other countries including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day that also occur on the anniversary of the end of World War I because major hostilities of that war ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year in1918.
After World War II and the Korean War, U.S. veteran organizations lobbied for the name change to create a more inclusive holiday honoring all U.S. military veterans.
It’s important to remember that Memorial Day in May was created to honor military service members who lost their lives while serving in one of the branches of the U.S. military.
Armed Forces Day, which also occurs in May, honors all service members currently serving in the U.S. military.
November 10th is the birthday of the United States Marine Corps (11/10/1175). That branch of the U.S. military usually observes both occasions with a 96-hour liberty period.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Day should be spelled without an apostrophe because it is not a day that belongs to veterans; it is a day honoring all veterans.
Now that we have that cleared up, back to Veteran’s Day. On November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson expressed what he felt the first Armistice Day meant to Americans in a public message. He reminded Americans that our European allies fought and endured for over four years to prevent the spread of authoritarian regimes. We joined the fight for roughly eighteen months. He stressed the importance of mutual respect for the contributions of every allied soldier, and the importance of remaining vigilant and working with our allies so world wars could be prevented.
In 1926, the U.S. Congress asked President Calvin Coolidge to commemorate November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. A 1938 Congressional Act made November 11 a legal holiday dedicated to the cause of world peace and known as Armistice Day.
In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks from Birmingham, Alabama, proposed the idea of a national holiday to honor all war veterans, living and dead. He proposed that day should be celebrated on Armistice Day. A delegation of supporters visited General Eisenhower who liked Week’s idea of a National Veterans Day. Weeks led the first celebration in 1947 in his home state of Alabama. He continued in that role until his death in 1985.
President Ronald Reagan awarded Weeks the Presidential Citizenship Medal in 1982.
After the holiday was renamed in 1954, the National Veterans Award was created. Congressman Rees of Kansas received the first award for offering legislation to make Veterans Day a federal holiday. If that date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, federal government employees will take the adjacent Monday or Friday off work.
Sources:
https://washington.org/dc-guide-to/veterans-day-in-washington-dc?msclkid=bc50870abb191d6d236cee0f8c3b6a79&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=MI%20Destination%20DC%20Search%20Incremental%20Events%20GEO&utm_term=veterans%20day%20events&utm_content=GEO%20Veterans%20Day%20Things%20To%20Do