November 11, 2008 Veterans Day US


Veterans Day is the anniversary of the ending of World War I.The major hostilities ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Remembering ... those who served in many wars/ways
Veterans Day 2008
https://colidiotone.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/veterans-day-2008/
Tuesday, November 11th should be a interesting day. First thing in the morning is rehab at the hospital and then over to RiverviewResort where I will be the guest speaker.In the afternoon the ceremony for the dedication of the Arizona Medal of Honor Memorial will take place at 1400 hours. As Frank Luke Jr was the first medal of honor winner in Arizona in 1918 I will be able to work his life into my speech. I have no idea how many folks will show up but with 690 spaces they could have a full house in there community center. I’m not kidding myself, most folks will come for the free lunch.
In doing research for my talk I think that I discovered lots of interesting items. For example how did Armistice day become Veterans Day and why is it not a three day holiday weekend? I discovered the answer to both these questions and will share the information with you.

The Armistice for World War One was signed in a railroad car outside the town of Campiegne, France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. So the fighting stopped but the war didn’t officially end until the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919 at the Palace of Versailles. The U.S. Congress finally got around to recognizing the end of WW1 in June of 1926, seven years after the Treaty was signed. Armistice Day was a legal holiday in 27 States so Congress issued a proclamation to fly the Flag on Government buildings and to observe the day in schools and churches but they didn’t make it a Federal legal holiday. They got around to that 12 years later in 1938 making the 11th of November a legal holiday.
In 1954 at the urging of veterans service organizations a law was passed changing the 1938 law by striking through the word “Armistice” and inserting the work “Veterans” November 11th was now the day to honor the veterans of all wars.
I think it was appropriate that General Eisenhower was President at the time and signed Public Law 380. Fourteen years later in 1968 Congress tossed Veterans Day into the The Uniforms Holiday Bill which would take effect in 1971.Congress wanted three day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four of the national holidays on Mondays.Veterans Day was one of the four. Many of the states did not agree with Congress and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates.With the majority of the state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations,and the American people complaining to Congress year after year they finally gave in and passed a law in 1975 returning the observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11th starting in 1978. Stated purpose was to preserve the historical significance of the day.
So now you know how Armistice Day became Veterans Day and why it is always celebrated on 11 November of each year.

Thank you.
Anacoana and Family