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Health & Fitness

Veterans Day A Brief History

A brief history of Veterans Day written by a Viet Nam Veteran with pictures of awards and medals. Thank a Veteran today.

Veterans Day A Brief History

Veterans will tell you that November 11, 1918 at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month was considered the end to the “The Great War”. And this is true on the stopping of the hostilities between the Allied Forces and Germany. The treaty did not get signed until 7 months and 17 days later on June 28, 1919 in what would be known as the Treaty of Versailles.

Later that year in November US President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first Armistice Day. His words stated: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

What was planned was the 11th day in November all work would stop at 11:00 am and the Country would see the day of peace with parades and public meetings. It would be a day that would be surrounded with feelings of thanks and good will to worldwide countries and people. It was to promote within the United States a spirit of peaceful relations with other nation around the world. The American people truly believed they had just fought the last war. No one wanted to experience the severe aspects of war ever again!

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Congress officially recognized the end of World War I on June 4, 1926, when it passed a resolution using these words:

Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

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Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday. It was enacted to honor those of WWI. After WWII in 1954 Congress Amended the Act, at the request of veterans service organization, and struck out the “Armistice” and replaced it with “Veterans”. With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

On October 8, 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first “Veterans Day Proclamation” which stated: “In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans’ organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.”

The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968, and was intended to make sure three-day

weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It went into effect in 1971 and was such a disaster and created such uproar that something had to be done.

So, on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11th, beginning in 1978. Veterans Day is still celebrated to this day on November 11th. This preserved the historical significance of the original meaning of the date and kept the persons in the forefront of this legal federal holiday…The American Veteran for all they have done for our great country. Some served and some gave the ultimate sacrifice for the good of their country.

Today please help me by saying thank you to the Veterans you may know or see. They deserve your recognition and praise.

Thank you.

Pictures are of awards and medals earn by Cliff L. Keith III during his service in the US Army, 1966-1969, and his tour of duty in Viet Nam Feb. 1967 thru Feb. 1968. Military regulations do not allow medals to be worn on a fatigue jacket and is only used as a montage for military reference only. We Can – We Will

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