Veterans Day began as Armistice Day. On November 12, 1919, a year and a day after the Armistice was signed (at the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month) President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed a holiday to celebrate the end of the 'War to End All Wars'.
-
-
In 1926, Congress resolved to observe November 11 with respect. Two years later an act was passed to have a legal holiday that was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day' " And so that tradition contiuned for 15 years.
-
-
And then in 1953,a shoe store owner in Emporia, Kanses requested that Armistice Day be used to celebrate "All Veterans" not just those that had served in WWI....
On November 8, 1954, Congress passed the act that officailly changed the name to Veterans Day, and it has celebrated all of the veterans of the American Wars ever since.
-
-
~~~~~~~~
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~
Some statistics:
Some statistics:
Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico (21 August 1891–24 January 2007), who died aged 115, is the oldest authenticated veteran, from any conflict, to have ever lived.
-
-
There are currently 10 WWI verified veterans still living...two Americans, two Australians, two French and
four Brits.
-
-
And if you are ever in Washington.....this is a place you HAVE to see :
0 comments:
Post a Comment