In Honor of Veterans Day…

Posted on November 11, 2006 
Filed Under Greatness

World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The actual fighting between the Allies and Germany however, 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.

Armistice Day, as November 11 became known, officially became a holiday in the United States in 1926, and a national holiday 12 years later. On June 1, 1954, the name was changed to to honor all U.S. veterans.

In 1968, new legislation changed the national commemoration of 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:

11 NOVEMBER…

Please take a few extra minutes out of your day to call, write, hug, talk, or email a today and THANK them for serving you and our country.

You’d be surprised at how much a little gesture like this will mean to a you know.

Unk

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15 Responses to “In Honor of Veterans Day…”

  1. Ann Wesley Hardin on November 11th, 2006 4:51 pm

    My dad won a Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters for his heroism in WWII. I thank him, his crew, and every serviceman for giving so much for our freedom.

  2. Unk on November 11th, 2006 4:58 pm

    Ann,

    Outstanding. I too THANK him.

    Unk

  3. Jim Henshaw on November 11th, 2006 5:23 pm

    Unk,

    Thanks for the comment. It brought me to your site and the fine words you wrote on the same subject. 11:00 a.m. today found me at a local hockey rink in a crowd of 10 year olds stoked to get on the ice. The Remembrance day memorial was playing on the flatscreen in the arena lobby and I thought this would be the last place you would find two minutes of silence. But when the time came, the entire arena went quiet. Parents and kids alike stood in complete silence for the full time of remembrance. It was a very moving moment. And two minutes later the kids were back to crash bang hockey. Life goes on.

    Jim

  4. Matthew Spira on November 11th, 2006 5:40 pm

    As the great-grandson of a WWI vet, grandson of two WWII veterans, son of a Vietnam veteran, as a veteran of Desert Storm myself, and as the brother of an Iraq War veteran- my sister- thank you for the shout out to veterans.

  5. Unk on November 11th, 2006 6:13 pm

    Matthew,

    Not a problem. I wish I could do MORE.

    Unk

  6. MaryAn on November 11th, 2006 7:08 pm

    Spent the day singing at two separate Veterans’ Day recognition ceremonies. If ever a group of men could make you aware of how little you’ve actually done for your fellow man…I try. I really do. But nothing I’ve done can compare. Nothing.

  7. Unk on November 11th, 2006 7:49 pm

    Jim,

    Like I said — I wish I could do more. This is about as political as I care to get on a blog. LOL. And really, it’s not political… It’s just a good thing to do. I’m sure being a Vet myself has something to do with it. I take being a Vet as serious as a heart attack.

    MaryAn,

    With that voice… Wish I could’a been there.

    Unk

  8. Ann Wesley Hardin on November 11th, 2006 7:52 pm

    Since you outed yourself, I thank you too, Unk.

  9. Unk on November 11th, 2006 7:59 pm

    Holy shit… Gotta be more careful…

    Thanks Ann.

    Unk

  10. bird on November 12th, 2006 6:14 am

    My parents, sister, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers are/were all veterans, and I try to never go a day without appreciating the fact that they are the reason we continue to enjoy our freedoms.

  11. Clive on November 12th, 2006 9:57 am

    Rememerance day is still a bif deal over here in the UK. Poppy wreaths lain at war memorials.

    And although I am, by and large, not fond of poetry — on this day it seems fit to quote Wilfred Owen, who is still this country’s finest war poet.

    “Bugles sang, saddening the evening air,
    And bugles answered, sorrowful to hear.

    Voices of boys were by the river-side.
    Sleep mothered them; and left the twilight sad.
    The shadow of the morrow weighed on men.

    Voices of old despondency resigned,
    Bowed by the shadow of the morrow, slept.

    dying tone
    Of receding voices that will not return.
    The wailing of the high far-travelling shells
    And the deep cursing of the provoking

    The monstrous anger of our taciturn guns.
    The majesty of the insults of their mouths.”

    It’s good for me to remember, that despite the fact this poem was written in 1918, ninety years later, it’s still as true of the world today.

    Clive

  12. Miriam Paschal on November 12th, 2006 12:14 pm

    Thank you for protecting us and keeping us safe.

  13. Unk on November 12th, 2006 6:05 pm

    bird… Glad to see you’re KICKIN’! Thanks for stopping by!

    Clive… Cool.

    Miriam… Thank you, I loved every minute of it.

    Unk

  14. MaryAn on November 13th, 2006 11:47 am

    Think the community one Thursday was recorded. Pretty sure the Saturday events weren’t. Will email it if I can get my hands on it. Only sang one song Thursday: “Another Soldier’s Coming Home” originally recorded by Janet Paschall.

  15. Sal on November 14th, 2006 1:40 pm

    Just had a fine time catching up on your recent posts, Unk. Really enjoyed your thoughts on High Concept and Story.

    My Grandpa was just too young to be conscripted for WW1 - besides as youngest brother left behind on the farm, he was exempted. Remarkably his five brothers all survived and returned home from France. His sister (my great aunt) was not so lucky - her fiance was killed, and although my great aunt lived to be over 90, she never found another love, and never married.

    Thanks for a very thought-provoking post.

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