Veterans Day

[scruffy]

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Suggested Community Program - Veterans Day |


In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, became the focal point of reverence for America's veterans.

Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation's highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day became known as "Armistice Day".

Armistice Day officially received its name in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. It became a national holidiay 12 years later by similar Congressional action. If the idealistic hope had been realized that World War I was "the War to end all Wars," November 11 might still be called Armistice Day. But only a few years after the holiday was proclaimed, war broke out in Europe. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part. Four hundred seven thousand of them died in service, more than 292,000 in battle.


Armistice Day Changed To Honor All Veterans


Realizing that peace was equally preserved by veterans of WW II and Korea, Congress was requested to make this day an occasion to honor those who have served America in all wars. In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.

On Memorial Day 1958, two more unidentified American war dead were brought from overseas and interred in the plaza beside the unknown soldier of World War I. One was killed in World War II, the other in the Korean War. In 1973, a law passed providing interment of an unknown American from the Vietnam War, but none was found for several years. In 1984, an unknown serviceman from that conflict was placed alongside the others. To honor these men, symbolic of all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army honor guard, The 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps day and night vigil.

A law passed in 1968 changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date.


National Ceremonies Held at Arlington


The focal point for official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day continues to be the memorial amphitheater built around the Tomb of the Unknowns. At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard representing all military services executes "Present Arms" at the tomb. The nation's tribute to its war dead is symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath. The bugler plays "taps." The rest of the ceremony takes place in the amphitheater.

Every year the President of the United States urges All Americans to honor the commitment of our Veterans through appropriate public ceremonies.

Permission is given to reprint or republish this article.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Scruffy,

Thank you so much for that great post…

About a month ago, I was driving through a construction zone in our town. A U.S. flag was laying down across the roadway in front of me. I couldn’t bear to drive over top of it, so I stopped in dead traffic and ran out of the truck to get the flag. As I picked up the flag and continued running back to my truck, I had a line of people stopped behind me waiting to go. As I got into my truck with the flag, a couple of vehicles starting tooting their horns… not in a mean way, but sorta like “thanks”…

I’ve always had the utmost respect for our flag and veterans, but since September 11th, I’ve taken it to a higher level… it’s only the right thing to do…

 

[frank_f15]

scruffy: a great post! and would just like to add my most heartfelt thank you to ALL VETRANS.
Frank

 

[Mike_Dumond]

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Echoes cleave the stillness where he sleeps;
The bark of guns, the bullets' angry whine
Resound upon his home
Of his last loneliness.

No name is carved upon the stone, no date
Of birth or death; but silvered angels stand
Upon the wind, and weep
Their tears of penitence.


Cold songs of snow, and sharp-sweet tears of spring
Here consecrate this one who sleeps alone;
A nation's pride is couched
In grief, upon his breast.

Keep the greasy side down.
Mike

 

[ShantyBranch]

In Flanders' Fields
The Poppies Grow
Between The Crosses Row On Row
That Mark Our Place, And In The Sky
The Larks Still Bravely Singing, Fly
Scarce Heard Amid The Guns Below.

We Are The Dead, Short Days Ago
We Lived, Felt Dawn, Saw Sunset Glow.
Loved, And Were Loved, And Now We Lie
In Flanders' Fields.

Take Up Our Quarrel With The Foe,
To You From Failing Hands We Throw
The Torch : Be Yours To Hold It High !
If Ye Break Faith With Us Who Die
We Shall Not Sleep, Though Poppies Grow
In Flanders' Fields.

Colonel John McCrae ~ 1915
After Reading "In Flanders' Fields"

An American, Miss Moira Michael Wrote A Reply Entitled
"We Shall Keep The Faith"

Oh ! You Who Sleep In Flanders' Fields,
Sleep Sweet - To Rise Anew,
We Caught The Torch You Threw,
And Holding High We Kept
The Faith With Those Who Died.
We Cherish Too, The Poppy Red
That Grows On Fields Where Valour Led.

It Seems To Signal To The Skies
That Blood Of Heroes Never Dies,
But Lends A Lustre To The Red
Of The Flower That Blooms Above The Dead
In Flanders' Fields.

And Now The Torch And Poppy Red
Wear In Honour Of Our Dead.
Fear Not That Ye Have Died For Naught
We've Learned The Lesson That Ye Taught
In Flanders' Fields. by: Moira Michael