Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of fighting in World War I on November 11, 1918 at 11 a.m., known as the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Armistice Day was made a legal holiday in 1938, primarily to honor World War I veterans. The honor was extended to all veterans by an Act of Congress in 1954. In 1968, Congress approved the Uniform Holiday Bill so that Veterans Day and several other national holidays would be bumped up to a weekend to create a three-day holiday. The decision angered many veterans and the original date of November 11 was restored in 1975.
Veterans Day, a day to honor those who served in all American wars, is often confused with Memorial Day, a day of remembrance to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This may be due to the fact that, at 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard representing all military services executes "Present Arms" at the tomb of the unknown soldier, the nation's tribute to its war dead."We must remember that many who served in our military never lived to be called veterans. We must remember many had their lives changed forever by experiences or the injuries of combat. All veterans are examples of service and citizenship for every American to remember and to follow." -- President George W. Bush, Oct. 30, 2001
Thank you to all who made the decision to serve and have placed themselves in harms way to uphold our freedoms. May God continue to bless our soldiers, veterans and our Nation.
