Although we have widened our recognition towards all veterans, Veteran’s Day is a day to specifically honor wartime soldiers.
An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made he 11th of November in each year a legal holiday - - a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and nown as 'Armistice Day. ’
"Armistice Day " was primarily a day set aide to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting in lieu thereof the word 'Veterans. ’ With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Veterans Day, 1954
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAN A PROCLAMATION 3071
Whereas it has long been our customs to commemorate November 11, the anniversary of the ending of World War I, by paying tribute to the heroes of that tragic struggle and by rededicating ourselves to the cause of peace; and Whereas in the intervening years the United States has been involved in two other great military conflicts, which have added millions of veterans living and dead to the honor rolls of this Nation; and Whereas the Congress passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926 (44 Stat. 1982), calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies, and later provided in an act approved May 13, 1938 (52 Stat. 351) , that the eleventh of November should be a legal holiday and should be known as Armistice Day; and Whereas, in order to expand the significance of that
commemoration and in order that a grateful Nation might pay appropriate homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed so much to the preservation of this Nation, the Congress. by an act approved
June 1, 1954 (68 Stat. 168), changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day:
Now, Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America, do hereby call upon all of our citizens to
observe Thursday, November 11, 1954, as Veterans Day. On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain. I also direct the appropriate officials of the Government to arrange for the display of the flag of the United States on all public buildings on Veterans Day.
In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans’ organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this
end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include
such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the al of the United States of America to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of October in the Year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the
(SEAL) United States of America the one hundred and seventy-ninth.
DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER
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KITTEN
Please tell your pants it’s not polite to point.
) The husband of my oldest aunt never became my uncle because he was killed at the Bulge.