Raymond Weeks of Birmingham, Alabama, organized a Veterans Day parade for that city on November 11, 1947, to honor all of America‘s veterans for their loyal service. Later, U.S. Representative Edward H. Rees of Kansas proposed legislation changing the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor all who have served in America’s Armed Forces.
In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11th as Veterans Day and called upon Americans everywhere to rededicate themselves to the cause of peace. He issued a Presidential Order directing the head of the Veterans Administration, now the Department of Veterans Affairs, to form a Veterans Day National Committee to organize and oversee the national observance of Veterans Day. In addition to fulfilling that mission, the committee oversees the annual production and distribution of the annual Veterans Day poster and this Teacher Resource Guide.
In 1968, Congress moved Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. However, it became apparent that the November 11th date was historically significant to a great many Americans. As a result, Congress formally returned the observance of Veterans Day to its traditional date in 1978.
And what do you know? Google recognized the holiday:
For some reason I didn’t expect them to. Maybe because they never recognize 9/11?
Thank you, veterans, for what you did and do. Many of you did not volunteer for the job; we thank you that you did it anyway. Let us all be grateful that in today’s age of an all-volunteer army, those who serve our country do so from desire, dedication and free will.
Thank you.
(More thank-you’s here, here, here, here here, here and here. That last one has the Flanders Field poem I almost posted, so you can go there instead.)
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