November 11th is Veterans Day. In 1919 it was first established as Armistice Day and people were instructed to observe two minutes of silence at 11 am in honor of those who died in World War I. It was a commemoration of the Armistice of 1918. Read a little of the Armistice history at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In establishing the holiday originally, President Wilson said,
“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.” (accessed 11/10/2008)
Glidden native Merle Hay was the first Iowan to be killed in World War I, just 10 days before the Armistice.
In 1954 President Dwight Eisenhower expanded the scope of the holiday to include all veterans. In part of his proclamation he said,
“Now, Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America, do hereby call upon all of our citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, 1954, as Veterans Day. On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.” (accessed 11/10/1008)
In Des Moines there will be many ways in which to honor America’s veterans.
- Exhibit (open at 9 am), State Historical Museum: Over Here, Over There: Iowa and the First World War
- Ceremony (10 am), Korean and Vietnam Memorials at East 9th and Grand
- Ceremony, (11 am), Veterans Memorial Auditorium
- Thank the veterans.
photo by flickr by Wigwam Jones
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