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Veterans Day falls on the same day as Remembrance Day and Armistice Day in other countries.
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World War I formally ended on November 11th, at the 11th hour. It is also the 11th month.
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Originally, when known as Armistice Day, it was meant to honor those who died in World War I, but when it was amended in the early 1940s, it was changed to honor all the veterans who have served in the U.S. military.
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Veterans Day is sometimes confused with Memorial Day, however Memorial Day honors those who died while serving in the military and Veterans Day honors all those who have served in the U.S. military, alive and deceased.
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Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran from Alabama, came up with the idea in 1945 to honor all veterans on November 11th, not just the ones who had lost their lives in World War I.
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Raymond Weeks was given the Presidential Citizenship Medal from Ronald Reagan in 1982. Raymond Weeks led the celebration from 1947 until 1985 when he died.
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In 1971, Veterans Day was moved to be the fourth Monday in October. In 1978 it went back to being November 11th.
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In 1954 the National Veterans Award was created, also in Alabama.
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Veterans Day, celebrated on November 11th, is both a state and federal holiday in the United States.
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Each year on Veterans Day there is a ceremony held in Arlington Cemetery to honor all who have died in war.
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There are approximately 24 million veterans living today.
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There were approximately 400,000 members of the United States military killed during World War II.
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On Veterans Day there are a number of parades held across the United States, as well as many speeches given.
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In 1921, on November 11th, an American soldier was buried at Arlington Cemetery. His identity was unknown and as such, his gravesite is called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On November 11th a wreath is laid on the grave during a ceremony. It is laid by the president or by a high-ranking member of the government.
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In 2011 it was estimated that approximately 8.1% of veterans in the United States are women.
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Approximately 35% of the veterans living today served in the United States military in the Vietnam War.
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On average, those who have served in the military in the United States, including men and women, earn more than those who have not served.
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There is not supposed to be an apostrophe in Veterans Day. Still, some spell it Veteran's Day or Veterans' Day.
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