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A Day For Veterans

November 11, is the anniversary of the Armistice which was signed in the Forest of Compiegne by the Allies and the Germans in 1918, ending World War I, after four years of conflict.

At 5 A.M. on Monday, November 11, 1918 the Germans signed the Armistice, an order was issued for all firing to cease; so the hostilities of the First World War ended. This day began with the laying down of arms, blowing of whistles, impromptu parades, closing of places of business. All over the globe there were many demonstrations; no doubt the world has never before witnessed such rejoicing.

Wade LeRoy, WW1 Veteran,
who gave the seed dollar to VMM 2/2/1997

In November of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson issued his Armistice Day proclamation. The last paragraph set the tone for future observances:
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 nation.

After attending a Veterans Program on Armistice Day in Kansas, Ed Rees was so moved that he worked on a bill to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. He wrote to all state governors and asked for their approval and cooperation and on May 24th, 1954 the name was officially changed to Veterans' Day.

President Bush in his Veterans Day Proclamation in 2007 said" Americans owe a great debt of gratitude to those who have sacrificed for our liberty and for the security of our Nation. We express deep appreciation to our veterans -- the men and women who stepped forward when America needed them, triumphed over brutal enemies, liberated continents, and answered the prayers of millions around the globe.

From the beaches of Normandy and the snows of Korea to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our courageous veterans have sacrificed so that Americans and others could live in freedom. As we mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II this year, we remember the millions of veterans who crossed oceans and defeated two of the most ruthless military forces the world has ever known. The freedom that the children and grandchildren of these veterans now enjoy is a monument to their fallen comrades and the generations of patriots who have served our country.

We at the Veterans Memorial Museum would like to thank each and every veteran and their families for our freedom and the sacrificies they have paid for us. As VMM enjoys its 11th Anniversary we encourage everyone to please say thanks to every veteran and the families of our MIA/KIA veterans you meet so that we can all make sure that...