112111 The history of Veterans Day

  • By Sharon Haught
  • November 14, 2011
  • 308
                        
Summary: The students of Edgewood Middle School and their honored guests learned about the history of Veterans Day during the school’s annual Veterans Day luncheon and celebration on Nov. 11. As the students of Edgewood Middle School gathered for its third annual Veterans Day luncheon and celebration, Associate Principal Ned Lauver shared the history of Veterans Day with the students and their assembled honored guests. According to Lauver while World War II officially ended on June 28, 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles “the actual fighting between the Allies and Germany however had ended seven months earlier with the armistice, which went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.” Lauver noted that on that day President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed “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.” “Armistice Day, as Nov. 11 became known, officially became a holiday in the United State in 1926 and a national holiday 12 years later. On June 1, 1954 the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor all United States veterans,” said Lauver. According to Lauver the official national ceremonies for Veterans Day center around the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. at Arlington National Cemetery. “Our nation honors these men symbolic of all Americans who gave their lives in all wars,” said Lauver. “An Army honor guard from the 3rd U.S. Infantry – the Old Guard – keeps day and night vigil,” Lauver continued. “At 11:00 a.m. on Nov. 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 and the playing of Taps,” said Lauver.


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