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Grumpy
11-11-2011, 12:23 PM
Today is Veterans Day. A day for us to say Thank You to all the Veterans who have sacrificed so much in the protection of democracy worldwide as well as the freedoms we often take for granted.


The History of Veterans Day.

The U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said

"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 for 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."

The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting that the President Calvin Coolidge issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."

In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas man named Alvin King the owner of a shoe repair shop, had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11 to honor all veterans. With the help of U.S. Representative Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954.

Congress amended this act on June 1, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day since.


Information obtained from Wikipedia.

Thank you to those who have served and continue to do so.

Grumpy

BlueStreak
11-11-2011, 01:20 PM
Here's a couple ancient artifacts............

The first is me aboard the USS Coral Sea in 1983, in the Line Shack. We were called "Line Pukes"---Lowly creatures who hauled around tie down chains and chocks. Also did basic servicing of the aircraft on the flight deck. (F-4 Phantom) By my second cruise I had gained a few stripes and become a "Green Shirt"---F-14 Maintenance. Life had improved drastically.

The second is me sucking down the first Fosters of the evening in my room at the Hotel Criterion in Perth, West Australia. The party started there, went downstairs to the hotel bar where the locals were having a party for us, entitled, "The American Naval Invasion". At some point I must have been at a beach, because my clothes were soaking wet with salt water and full of sand when I came to in the morning. I think there must have been a female involved as well, as there was a couple C notes missing from my wallet and the sheets smelled like dead fish and cheap perfume. Most of my port visits went that way. Come to think of it, the 1980's went that way for me.:p

After breakfast, we went on a "wine cruise".................................

The things I did for my country!

Dave

piece-itpete
11-11-2011, 01:29 PM
The huge manatee!

Many thanks to all our vets. And thanks Dave for the history.

Pete

Twodogs
11-11-2011, 04:25 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph3PGSVxr7A&feature=related