Veteran's Day, which is observed on November 11th of each year, is a federal holiday to honor all those who have served in the U.S. military. November 11th marks the day that the major combat in World War I ended.
In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson named November 11th Armistice Day, and in 1938, that date became a legal holiday with the name Armistice Day. The first national holiday to celebrate Veterans Day was held in 1947 and in 1954, Armistice Day legally became Veterans Day.
So today we thought we’d share some interesting things about Veterans Day that you might not know.
World War I formally ended on November 11th, at the 11th hour in the 11th
Originally, this day was meant to honor those who died in World War I, but when it was amended in the early 1940s, it was altered to honor all the veterans who have served in the U.S. military.
Veterans Day is sometimes confused with Memorial Day, however Memorial Day pays tribute to those who died while serving in the military and Veterans Day honors all those who have served in our military, both alive and deceased.
In 1971, Veterans Day was moved to be the fourth Monday in October. In 1978 it went back to being November 11th.
Each year on Veterans Day there is a ceremony held in Arlington Cemetery to honor all those who have died in war.
There were approximately 400,000 members of the United States military killed during World War II.
In 1921, on November 11th, an American soldier was buried at Arlington Cemetery. His identity was unknown and as such, his gravesite is called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On November 11th a wreath is laid on the grave by the president or by a high-ranking member of the government.
In 2011 it was estimated that approximately 8.1% of veterans in the United States are women.
Approximately 35% of the veterans living today served in the United States military in the Vietnam War.
There is not supposed to be an apostrophe in Veterans Day. Still, some spell it Veteran’s Day or Veterans’ Day.