Veterans Day 2012

Posted on by Boston Cares Posted in Cultural & Environmental Vibrancy

Honored to Serve

Thank you to all of our veterans, active military that served and continue to serve, the military families that support them, and thank you to the veterans and active military who are volunteering with Boston Cares!

A Short History of Veterans Day:

  • • November 11, 1919 at 11:00 A.M: an armistice ends WWI and President Woodrow Wilson proclaims Armistice Day
  • • June 4, 1926: U.S. Congress and President Calvin Coolidge issues November 11th to be observed with ceremonies.
  • • May 13, 1938: Congressional Act makes November 11th a legal holiday “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.”
  • • May 26, 1954: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs into law a bill making Armistice Day a national holiday.
  • • June 1, 1954: A Congressional amendment changes “Armistice Day” to “Veterans Day”
  • • October 1971: Veterans Day is moved to the fourth Monday of October month to comply with the Uniform Holiday Act.
  • • 1978: The holiday is moved back to its original November 11th day to respect the historical date.  Now, if the holiday falls on a weekend, than either the previous Friday or following Monday will also be observed as a Federal Holiday.

For a full story, with specific focus on the important individuals like WWII veteran Raymond Weeks and Congressman Ed Rees, who were integral to the mission to make Veterans Day a national holiday, please visit this link to the Veterans Affairs website.

Interesting interview with Bill Moyers and Karl Malantes, Vietnam Veteran and author of Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War. Click here.

All historical facts were taken from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.

Interested in volunteering with Veterans?

We have the following opportunities on our Calendar:

  • New England Center for Homeless Veterans: Serve Dinner or Breakfast
  • Adopt-A-Vet with the New England Center for Homeless Veterans
  • My HealtheVet (coming soon: please email Carmine Leighton to sign up for this)
  • The Mission Continues

If you are a non-profit agency who is interested in putting your veteran-related program on our Calendar, please click here.