The annual recognition of Veterans Day on November 11 goes back to 1919, when it was
referred to as Armistice Day.
That day was the one-year anniversary of the end of World War I. The war concluded
when an armistice, or a temporary cease of all aggressions, was implemented. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the holiday
with these 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…"
The following year, both France and the United
Kingdom observed services, on the same day, for those unknown who died in the war. A year
later, the U.S. held a similar ceremony, as Congress approved legislation
for a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, to be placed in Arlington
In 1926, Congress enacted a resolution, requesting the President to observe Armistice
Day on an annual basis, which the President issued. In 1938, it became a legal Federal holiday, since the states retained
the right to designate their own individual holidays.
On June 1, 1954, after both World War II and the Korean War produced millions of
new war veterans, President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
As part of the Fourth Monday Law established in 1968, Congress designated the observance
of Veterans Day on the fourth Sunday of October. However, most states chose to acknowledge Veterans Day as it originally was
on November 11. As a result, in 1975, Congress formally changed the Federal observation of Veterans Day to November 11, and
it would take effect in 1978.
The National Veterans Day Ceremony takes place at Arlington National Cemetery
every November 11 at 11:00am. Each of America's military services create a combined color guard and honors those who died
in war by executing 'Present Arms' at the Tomb of the Unknowns, or those 'known but to God.' The President then lays a wreath
at the tomb while 'Taps' is played by a bugler. The remainder of the ceremony takes place inside the Memorial Amphitheater.
Veterans Day is celebrated November 11.