“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of 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.” - Woodrow Wilson
Today we take special pause to honor those who have served and continue to serve in the military. Although we believe every day should be this way, Veterans Day is a carved out reminder of how much we should appreciate and celebrate those in uniform for the protected freedoms afforded to us by the United States Constitution. Without these men and women and their sacrifices, we would not be able to enjoy life as we do.
Although we have come to celebrate this day on an annual basis, how many of us truly know how this day came to be? Let us take a step back and recognize its infancy.
Veterans Day History
World War I officially came to an end when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in Versailles, France. However, the actual fighting ended approximately seven months earlier when a temporary cessation, or armistice, of the conflict took effect between the Allied nations and Germany. This happened on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It was then that November 11, 1918, was considered the end of “the war to end all wars.”
A year later, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed November 11th as the first Armistice Day. An Act approved later in 1938 made the 11th of November a legal holiday. Originally a day to honor veterans of the First World War, the bravery of American forces fighting in World War II and the Korean War could not go unnoticed. It was then in June of 1954, with the urging of veterans across many organizations, that “Armistice” changed to the word “Veterans” as all those who served these United States in all wars were to be honored.
A Tribute To All Veterans
We here at The Coin Vault give tremendous thanks to all those who have served and continue to serve in the armed forces. We celebrate this day and do not take for granted all of the lives put on the line so willingly for our everyday occurrences. We remain grateful for all Veterans and take a moment to pay special tribute to them on this special day.
We will leave you with words from Veteran Joan T. Arrington Craigwell who joined the United States Air Force in 1961. She was a nurse and flight nurse in many locations, including Vietnam. Here is an excerpt of her post on what Veterans Day means to her for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
“Every day, Veterans set aside their personal ambitions and dreams to assure the freedoms of others. It’s important that we have a day to remember their value and sacrifice and the lessons that come with both. Some Veterans know how terrible war can be and many have the scars to show for it. All Veterans remind us of our potential as Americans to give and at times, give it your all. This is why we need Veterans Day.”