Happy belated Veterans Day! We hope everyone had a nice and safe Holiday! It is always great to bundle up this time of year and spend time reflecting on the sacrifices these men and women have made for us. As we enter the big holiday season, we should stay conscious of our Veterans while we enjoy time off and celebrate with our families.
My name is Penn Boatwright, and I am the new Client Services Associate for DWM Charleston. I recently graduated from Charleston Southern University with a Marketing degree, and feel so blessed to be a member of the Detterbeck team. I spend my free time dancing, teaching dance classes, volunteering and ‘learning’ to cook. I look forward to meeting some of you face-to-face, but today, I will be discussing the history of Veterans Day!
World War I, back then known as ‘The Great War’, ended on June 28, 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in France. However, the fighting came to a halt months earlier when an armistice (temporary cessation of hostilities) between the Allied Nations and Germany went into action. This happened on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, making November 11 the ‘End of the war, to end all wars.’
In November 1919, President Wilson introduced November 11 as the first celebration of Armistice Day with the following quote: “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 of 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…’
In 1938, Armistice Day became an official legal holiday dedicated to the cause of world peace, escalating from the original concept of parades and celebrations for the soldiers. The holiday was created to honor the veterans of World War I, but after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of military in US history, Congress amended the act and changed it in 1954 to honor all veterans as “Veterans Day!”
Veterans Day continues to be celebrated on November 11, staying true to the significant date that changed the world back in 1918. It is important we always remember that Veterans Day is a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their sacrifices, brave hearts, and willingness to serve. A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VETERANS!