Where did Veteran's Day come from?

On November 11, 1918, the armistice agreement between the Allied Nations and Germany went into effect at 11 a.m., ending the fighting of "the Great War." One year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day, saying "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of this who dies in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both from 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 nations..."

It wasn't until June 4, 1926 that the United States Congress recognized the end of World War I through a concurrent resolution in which it asked the President of the United States to call upon government officials to fly the U.S. flag on November 11, and encourage the day to be observed with celebrations.

November 11 was officially declared "Armistice Day" and a legal holiday through an act passed on May 13, 1938, intended to recognize the veterans of WWI. In June of 1954, the 83^rd Congress amended the 1938 act by striking the word "Armistice" an replacing it with the word "Veterans" in order to honor all veterans. On October 8 of that same year, President Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation which named the Administrator of Veterans Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee with the intent being to ramp up the degree of celebration and recognition of veterans.

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill declared that along with Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, and Columbus Day, Veterans Day would be celebrated on a Monday in order to insure that all Federal employees would enjoy a three day weekend. This was done partially as an incentive to encourage travel and spending, but in 1971, Veterans Day was celebrated with much confusion on October 25.

In 1975, President Ford (a Navy veteran) signed Public Law 94-97, which returned the celebration of Veterans Day to November 11, to commence in 1978. This action was well met by most of the citizens of America, and especially by veterans organizations. While our Veterans Day Parade may not fall on November 11, you can be assured that the organizations involved in it's planning and organization will be celebrating the day as originally intended.