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 .