Veterans Day
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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Armistice Day. (Discuss) |
| Veterans Day | |
 Joseph Ambrose, an 86-year-old World War I veteran, attends the dedication day parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982, holding the flag that covered the casket of his son, who had been killed in the Korean War. |
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| Official name | Veterans Day |
|---|---|
| Observed by | United States |
| Type | Federal (and most U.S. states) |
| Significance | Honors the 24.9 million military veterans in the United States |
| Date | November 11 (or nearest weekday) |
| Observances | Parades, school history projects |
Veterans Day is an American holiday honoring military veterans. Both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, it's always celebrated on November 11th each year. However, if it occurs on a Sunday then the following Monday is designated for holiday leave, and if it occurs Saturday then either Saturday or Friday may be so designated.[1] It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)
The holiday is commonly printed as Veteran's Day or Veterans' Day in calendars and advertisements. While these spellings are grammatically acceptable, the United States government has declared that the attributive (no apostrophe) rather than the possessive case is the official spelling.[2]
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[edit] History
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting the President issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. 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 — "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."
In 1953, Al King had the idea to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. So he began his campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. King was an Emporia (KS) shoe store owner actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. King had promoted his notion so much that the Emporia Chamber of Commerce decided to get involved. With the help of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954.[3]
Congress amended this act on November 8, 1954, by replacing "Armistice" with Veterans and it has been known as Veterans Day since.[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/11582.html
- ^ Kristina Sherry (2007-Nov-9). "Apostrophe sparks Veterans Day conundrum", Columbia Missourian.
- ^ [1],Founding City of Veterans Day
- ^ "History of Veterans Day", VA, 2007"
[edit] References
- "History of Veterans Day". United States Department of Veterans Affairs (March 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.
- "The History of Veterans Day". U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH) (3 October 2003). Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
- "History of Veterans Day". Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official Website United States Department of Veterans Affairs
- Marine Corps Veteran Resources
- 5 USC 6103 (Federal Holidays) at Cornell University's on-line United States Code
- Veterans Day UK website - Official website for Veterans Day UK 2008.
- Veterans Week UK - Veterans Week Blackpool
- Veterans of U.S. War
