Prescious Stars

 VETERANS DAY

VETERANS DAY is an official 'holiday' in the United States set aside to honor all military veterans of our country and the sacrifices they have made.  It is celebrated annually, and is recognized as both a federal holiday and a state holiday within all of our fifty states.
 
Originally it was known as 'Armistice Day', for it was on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month of 1918, that an armistice was signed between the Allied nations and Germany which ceased the fighting of World War I.  People throughout the world rejoiced and celebrated, as they believed World War I to be the  'War to End All Wars'.
 
In America, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first commemoration of  'Armistice Day' on November 11, 1919.  And he stated the following words:  "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…"
 
On June 4, 1926, Congress was to make this 'official' as they passed resolution concurrent with President Wilson's proclamation.  Request came to them later, however, to make it a day to honor all of our veterans from all of our wars when new realities made it clear that the end of the fighting of World War I was not the end of world conflict or war.  In 1954, Congress replaced "Armistice" with "Veterans", and President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill which proclaimed November 11 as Veterans Day, the day to remember and honor all veterans.
 
Although over time there have been legal attempts to change the celebration of Veterans Day to other dates, and although many do celebrate the holiday on 'near-by' dates for various reasons, and although many receive 'holiday leave' on the following day if the date should fall on a Sunday, Congress officially stated in 1978 that Veterans Day was to be observed on November 11 in the United States.
    
Throughout our land there are celebrations, memorials, parades, and other events held annually on November 11 to remember and recognize with honor our United States military veterans.  Each year too, there is an official wreath-laying ceremony held in Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
 
For more information on Veterans Day and for a list of celebrations that will be taking place throughout out country, please visit the Department of Veterans affairs website at:  http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/

Rev. Lin

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