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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 2016)
12 • Siuslaw News • VETERANS DAY TRIBUTE • November 9, 2016 History of Veterans Day eterans Day gives us the oppor- tunity to celebrate the bravery and sacrifice of all U.S. veter- ans. However, m ost Am ericans con- fuse this holiday with Mem orial Day, reports the Departm ent of Veterans Affairs. What’s m ore, som e Am ericans don’t know why we com m em orate our veterans on Nov. 11. It’s im perative that all Am ericans know the history of Veterans Day so that we can honor our form er servicem em bers properly. V Brie f H is to ry o f Ve te ran s D ay Veterans Day, form erly known as Arm istice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on Novem ber 11, 1918. In legisla- tion that was passed in 1938, Nov. 11 was “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Arm istice Day.’” As such, this new legal holi- day honored World War I veterans. origin al date of Nov. 11, begin n in g in In 1954, after having been through 1978 . Sin ce then , the Veteran s Day both World War II and the Korean holiday has been observed on Nov. 11. War, the 83rd U.S. Congress — at the Ce le bratin g Ve te ran s D ay urging of the veterans service organi- If the Nov. 11 holiday falls on a non- zations — am ended the Act of 1938 by workday — Saturday or Sunday — the striking out the word “arm istice” and holiday is observed by the federal gov- inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation ernm ent on Monday (if the holiday on J une 1, 1954, Nov. 11 becam e a day falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holi- day falls on Saturday). Federal govern- to honor Am erican veterans of all m ent closings are established by the wars. U.S. Office of Personnel Managem ent In 1968 , the Un iform s H oliday Bill — a com plete schedule can be found en sured three-day weeken ds for fed- here. State and local governm ent clos- eral em ployees by celebratin g four ings are determ ined locally, and non- n ation al holidays on Mon days: governm ent businesses can close or Washin gton ’s Birthday, Mem orial rem ain open as they see fit. Day, Veteran s Day, an d Colum bus Day. Un der this bill, Veteran s Day D iffe re n ce be tw e e n Ve te ran s was m oved to the last Mon day of D ay & Me m o rial D ay October. Man y states did n ot agree Mem orial Day honors servicem em - with this decision an d con tin ued to bers who died in service to their coun- celebrate the holiday on its origin al try or as a result of injuries incurred date. during battle. Deceased veterans are Fin ally on Septem ber 20 , 1975, also rem em bered on Veterans Day, but Presiden t Gerald R. Ford the day is set aside to thank and honor sign ed a law which living veterans who served honorably return ed the annual obser- in the m ilitary — in wartim e or peace- tim e. vance of President Eisenhower’s letter to Veterans Day to its Harvey V. Higley, Adm inistrator of Veterans’ Affairs, designating him Chairm an, Veterans Day National Com m ittee on Oct. 8, 1954, included: It is m y e a r n e s t h o p e t h a t a ll v e t e r a n s , t h e ir o r g a n iz a t io n s a n d t h e e n t ir e cit iz e n r y w ill jo in h a n d s t o in s u r e p r o p e r a n d w id e s p r e a d o b s e r v a n ce o f t h is d a y . ... I h a v e e v e r y co n fid e n ce t h a t o u r N a t io n w ill r e s p o n d w h o le - h e a r t e d ly in t h e a p p r o p r ia t e o b s e r v a n ce o f Ve t e r a n s D a y .
