Today is Veteran's Day

It's a little after 11a on the 11th day of the 11th month. 

 

(NN: The pic above is the official logo from the VA)

 

For their sacrifice, I remember and honor:  

• my father, an army veteran...HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY PAPA!!!
• my father's father, now passed, a Korean War Veteran.
• my cousins and friends who are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan...THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!
• my other family members who have served our country by bearing arms to protect us (even before I was born).  

Although it is not Memorial Day, I lift up and pray for those who have lost loved ones in service to our great country. I also pray for the safety of those who are still serving in uniform. God, send your angels to comfort and protect. AMEN!!!

  

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In case you are not familiar with the history of Veteran's Day, please see the excerpt below pasted directly from http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/holidays/vetsday/vetshist.html:

 

1918

World War I, then normally referred to simply as The Great War (no one could imagine any war being greater!), ended with the implementation of an armistice [temporary cessation of hostilities-in this case until the final peace treaty, the infamous Treaty of Versailles, was signed in 1919] between the Allies and Germany at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918.

 

1919

November 11: President Wilson proclaims the first Armistice Day with the following words: "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." The original concept for the celebration was for the suspension of business for a two minute period beginning at 11 A.M., with the day also marked by parades and public mettings.

 

1938

Congress passes legislation on May 13 making November 11 a legal Federal holiday, Armistice Day. The United States has no 'actual' national holidays because the states retain the right to designate their own holidays. The Federal government can in fact only designate holidays for Federal employees and for the District of Columbia. But in practice the states almost always follow the Federal lead in designation of holidays.

  

1954

On June 1, President Eisenhower signs legislation changing the name of the legal holiday from Armistice Day to Veteran's Day.