Veterans Day: 5 Interesting facts about the holiday's history

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Friday, November 11, 2022

Expanding to include all veterans

Former general and president of the United States of America, Dwight David Eisenhower. | Public Domain

Once it became a federal holiday, Armistice Day remained focused exclusively on the veterans of World War I. However, following the end of World War II, this changed.

In 1954, Congress changed the name to “Veterans Day,” and President Dwight Eisenhower, himself a World War II veteran, issued a proclamation expanding the observance to honor all American veterans.

“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,” stated the Eisenhower proclamation.

“In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.”