Tag Archives: liberty

March 27, 2011 · 10:00 pm

Still Alive And Well

Every so often I Google just to see if he’s still out there, rockin’.

He was in the 60s.

He was in the 70s.

He was in the 80s.

He was in the 90s.

He was in the 00’s.

And he was just in Germany doing it again.

Still alive and well.

Happy Veterans Day! For all you did, and for all you do – my humble thanks. May your bravery and sacrifice never be forgotten, and may we honor it and you all the days of the year, not just on the official one.

Unlike many holidays that are celebrated on the Monday nearest their real date, Veterans Day is always celebrated on the 11th of November. The significance is that the major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. The exception was a nine-year period in the 1970s where it was moved to the fourth Monday in October, reportedly to have a Federal holiday better centered between Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

This holiday to celebrate military veterans was first instituted in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson and expanded to honor veterans of all wars in 1954 by President Eisenhower. Although it is at heart an American holiday, it is also celebrated as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day in several countries around the world.

Germany…not so much.