Council Honors Veterans for Their Service to Our Country

Every year, November 11th serves as a powerful reminder to honor the service, sacrifice, and contributions of those who have served in the U.S. military. This date marks the end of World War I, when the Allied nations and Germany declared an armistice on November 11th, 1918, after four years of brutal conflict.

In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day to commemorate the lives lost during the war and the bravery of those who served. By 1938, Congress officially designated November 11th as a legal holiday, focusing on peace and honoring veterans of World War I.

As the U.S. entered World War II in 1941 and the Korean War in 1950, the scope of Veterans Day broadened. In 1954, after many service members returned home from these conflicts, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill to rename the day from Armistice Day to Veterans Day, extending the honor to all U.S. veterans, regardless of the wars in which they served.

The Uniform Holiday Bill of 1968 moved Veterans Day to a Monday observance to provide workers with a long weekend. However, in 1975, President Gerald Ford signed legislation returning the holiday to November 11th, recognizing that many Americans preferred to commemorate the day on its historical date.

This week, during the Council meeting, a resolution was adopted to celebrate Veterans Day and pay tribute to those who have served our country.

• Last updated: November 8, 2024