What You Might Not Know About Veterans Day

Veterans Day [no apostrophe] began with the final ceasefire of World War I. The day honors all those who served, living and dead. It went into effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first Armistice Day. He set aside the day to honor the soldiers of the Great War and dedicate the day to world peace.

The Father of Veterans Day

World War II veteran Raymond Weeks organized the first national celebration to honor all American veterans—living and dead. This took place in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, in 1947. Raymond Weeks enlisted in the US Navy in 1942 to serve his country during World War II. He returned to Birmingham after the war and thought that November 11th should become a day to honor veterans. That was the first Armistice Day celebration. It marked the end of World War I. He petitioned Dwight D. Eisenhower, who supported it, and sent Gen. Omar Bradley to speak at the first banquet.

Following WWII and the Korean War, Congress amended the 1938 holiday act. At the urging of service organizations, they changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. That was in 1954.

Moving the Day to Monday Didn’t Work

Under the Uniform Holiday Bill passed in 1968, the celebration was moved to the fourth Monday in October starting in 1971. The purpose was to give federal employees a three-day weekend. However, public confusion and pushback led President Gerald Ford to return it to November 11 in 1975 (taking effect in 1978) due to the date’s deep historical significance

He founded the National Veterans Day Volunteer Organization in Birmingham in 1947 and served as chairman until his death. President Ronald Reagan honored Mr. Weeks on Veterans Day 1982 at the White House on national television, presenting him with the Presidential Citizens Medal. The President had been briefed that Weeks was the “Father of Veterans Day,” and in his address to the nation thanked Mr. Weeks as the “driving force” for Veterans Day.

Mr. Weeks also served three terms in Congress.

Unlike Memorial Day (which honors those who died in service), Veterans Day celebrates and thanks all living and deceased men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces.

You might not know that Veterans Day doesn’t have an apostrophe because the day doesn’t “belong” to veterans; rather, it is a day set aside to honor all veterans collectively.