Every year, on November 11, Americans from all walks of life celebrate Veteran’s Day. From parades to ceremonies and memorials, U.S. military veterans will be remembered and honored in public squares, high school auditoriums, parks and VFW halls.

A Short History of Veteran’s Day

Veteran’s Day celebrations began in November 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 as Armistice Day. The day was to commemorate the date when a ceasefire between the Allied forces and Germany went into effect toward the end of World War I. The fighting ended one year earlier on the eleventh hour of eleventh day in the eleventh month (November 11, 1918 at 11:00 a.m.).

The war didn’t officially end until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which took place near Versailles, France on June 28, 1919. U.S. Congress officially recognized the end of the war on June 4, 1926.

On May 13, 1938, Armistice Day was officially made a legal holiday in the U.S. After World War II, Congress passed legislation to change the name of Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day in order to honor veterans of all U.S. wars. That legislation passed on June 1, 1954.

How to Honor the Veterans in Your Life

As of Memorial Day 2020, there were still over 300,000 World War II veterans alive in the U.S. Since then, America has fought several other wars around the world including the Korean War, Vietnam War, two Iraq wars, a Global War on Terror, and conducted countless other military actions. The estimated number of veterans still alive in 2020 is just under 20 million. You can honor a veteran in your life in any number of practical ways. Here are a few suggestions:

• Make a phone call
• Text your veteran loved one on his or her smartphone
• Raise a flag on your property
• Send a postcard or greeting card
• Write and mail a letter
• Share a meme on Facebook and other social media websites
• Make a donation to a veterans advocacy or support charity
• Attend a Veterans’ Day event honoring U.S. veterans
• Go on a fishing trip with your veteran friend or family member
• Take your veteran loved one duck hunting at Lake Palestine; the duck hunting season in Texas officially begins on November 14

These are just a few of the ways you can honor the special veteran in your life.

We would like to say Happy Veteran’s Day to all U.S. veterans and their families, and thank you for your personal sacrifice.