15 Veterans Day Facts Everyone Should Know
Updated: Nov. 08, 2021That November date has a major significance. Find out the history of Veterans Day and more facts that'll help you appreciate the meaning of this holiday.
What is Veterans Day?
On November 11, many Americans will have a day off of work and school to honor the individuals who have served in our military. With approximately 19 million military veterans living in the United States, it’s important not to think of it as “just another holiday.” Here’s why we celebrate Veterans Day, how it’s different than Memorial Day, and some more Veterans Day facts that Americans might not know about this celebratory day. Read these Veterans Day quotes that capture the spirit of the day, and find out where veterans can get Veterans Day free meals this year.
It began with a different name
Veterans Day wasn’t always called that—and it has to do with how the holiday got started. Veterans Day can trace its origins back to November 11, 1919, the one-year anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I. President Woodrow Wilson declared that day “Armistice Day.” In 1926, Congress passed a resolution to make it an annual occurrence. It wasn’t until 1938 that it actually became a federal holiday, and until 1954 that it got the name we know it by today. President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed it to Veterans Day so that it would honor all veterans, not just signify the end of a single war.
The day was swapped once
Because of its connection to the end of World War I, Veterans Day is November 11, no matter what day of the week that is. (Mostly, but we’ll get to that later.) This differs from Memorial Day, Presidents’ Day, and Thanksgiving, holidays that fall on a specific day of the week, not a specific date. But this wasn’t always the case! In 1968, Congress passed the “Uniform Holidays Act,” which put Veterans Day on the fourth Monday in October. It took effect in 1971—but in 1975, President Gerald Ford signed a law returning it to November 11. Read about the nicest things people have done to honor veterans all year round.
It’s never on Sundays
Because many workers enjoy a day off for Veterans Day, the date of the observance can be tweaked if it falls on a weekend. Specifically, if November 11 is a Sunday, the federal holiday will generally be moved to the next day, Monday. If it’s on a Saturday, the holiday might become Friday or just remain on the Saturday. Alternatively, if it’s on a weekend, many companies will provide their employees with a “floating holiday” so that they can choose when to take the day off. We bet you didn’t know that these 31 famous people were veterans.
How it differs from Memorial Day
Many people mix up Memorial Day and Veterans Day, or at least think they’re celebrating the same thing—but there’s a significant difference. Memorial Day honors Americans who have died in the line of duty; Veterans Day commemorates all Americans who have served their country honorably. Find out more about how Veterans Day and Memorial Day are different.
Memorial Day is older (and simultaneously newer)
Memorial Day actually dates all the way back to the Civil War. This holiday began in the 1860s as people held observances to honor those who died in the Civil War and adorn their graves with flowers. While Veterans Day was started to commemorate the end of World War I, about half a century later, it actually became a federally recognized holiday before Memorial Day did! Veterans Day (then called Armistice Day) became a federal holiday in 1938—Memorial Day didn’t until 1971.
How it differs from Armed Forces Day
Do these Veterans Day facts have you wondering if there’s a holiday to celebrate current American service members—since “veterans” are technically people who’ve served in the past? Well, there is—it’s called Armed Forces Day, and it falls on the third Saturday in May, so it’s in close proximity to Memorial Day. The celebration of Women Veterans Day is also becoming increasingly popular. It falls on June 12, the anniversary of the day women were first allowed to serve as permanent members of the U.S. military. Though not a nationally recognized holiday, some states commemorate it.
There’s also an “Atomic Veterans Day”
So many veterans’ holidays! In 1983, President Reagan designated July 16 as National Atomic Veterans Day. This day specifically honored atomic veterans, or “American military service members who participated in nuclear tests between 1945 and 1962, served with United States military forces in or around Hiroshima and Nagasaki through mid-1946, or were held as prisoners of war in or near Hiroshima or Nagasaki,” according to the White House. But Reagan’s designation was just for a one-time commemoration in 1983. This year, though, President Joe Biden brought back National Atomic Veterans Day, and Representative Abigail Spanberger is leading a legislative bill to make it annual.
There are week-long commemorations as well
In August 2001, the Senate passed Senate Resolution 143, designating November 11 through November 17 of that year as National Veterans Awareness Week. Unlike the more general federal holiday, the week was specifically for educational efforts for grade school students. Every year since, resolutions have passed to commemorate a week in November for such a purpose. And the person to suggest Senate Resolution 143 was…none other than then-Senator Joe Biden!
There’s a Veterans Day National Committee
Since 1954, the Veterans Day National Committee has overseen Executive planning for the annual holiday. They meet in D.C. three times a year to prepare for Veterans Day. At first, the Administrator of Veterans Affairs was chair of the committee; in 1989, when Veterans Affairs became a Cabinet department, the responsibility fell to the renamed Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The current chairman is Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough.
Its “incorrect grammar” is intentional
If you’re a grammar aficionado, you might be wondering, “Shouldn’t it be Veterans’ Day?” If it’s their day, where’s the apostrophe? Well, it actually is just Veterans Day. That might seem like a grammar error, but it isn’t. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs itself, it’s not actually “their” day but “a day for honoring all veterans” more generally. Check out our full explanation of why there’s no apostrophe in Veterans Day.
It could’ve been…Mayflower Day?!
When it became clear that the holiday should commemorate more than just the end of World War I (because, dismayingly, it was clear that World War I would not be the “war to end all wars” that people called it), that was the catalyst for the name Veterans Day. But Dr. Francis Carr Stifler of the American Bible Society and some other advocates had a different idea for the holiday. In addition to being the day of the World War I armistice, November 11 was also the day the Mayflower Compact was signed, in 1620. Proponents of “Mayflower Day” argued that that compact was the basis for all American documents like the Bill of Rights the Declaration of Independence. But…that took the focus away from military service members, so the idea never took off.
Arlington National Cemetery holds a commemorative ceremony
The 624-acre Arlington National Cemetery is home to the final resting place of more than 400,000 military servicemen, women, and their families. As such, they hold an observance on Veterans Day every year at 11 a.m. (the time the World War I armistice was signed). Guards lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and veterans’ organizations hold a parade of colors. The ceremony is free and open to the public; would-be attendees are encouraged to arrive at least an hour early.
Other countries celebrate different versions of it
November 11, 1918, was the end of World War I, so the United States isn’t the only nation that commemorates that date. Canada, Australia, France, and Belgium call it Remembrance Day. The United Kingdom observes Remembrance Sunday on the second Sunday of November. In the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, it’s customary to observe two minutes of silence to honor people who died in war. Interestingly, this two-minute silence tradition actually originated in South Africa—before the end of World War I. Check out these great movies to watch on Veterans Day.
Veterans eat free
Just like pretty much any other holiday, stores and businesses seize the opportunity to offer Veterans Day sales and promos. Some of them are specifically for veterans (as they should be!). Take the opportunity to take a beloved veteran in your life out for a good meal. Places like Applebee’s, Olive Garden, IHOP, and many more have promotions for veterans that you won’t want to miss. Here are 16 places where veterans can eat for free on Veterans Day.
Veterans don’t necessarily fight in wars
Another common misconception about Veterans Day (and veterans in general) is that all veterans have gone to war. Many members of the American military serve during peacetime, too, often with acts of service like disaster relief right here at home. Next, find out 45 things members of the U.S. military wish you knew.
Sources:
- History: “Veterans Day Facts”
- CNN: “Veterans Day Fast Facts”
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: “History of Veterans Day”
- USA Today: “About 18 million military veterans live in the US. Which states have the most vets?”
- Mental Floss: “11 Things to Remember This Veterans Day”
- Military.com: “June 12 Is Women Veterans Day”
- Fairfax County, Virginia: “VETERANS DAY CEREMONY AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY”
- The Telegraph: “The South African history behind the two-minute silence”
- The White House: “A Proclamation on National Atomic Veterans Day, 2021”
- Military.com: “Veterans Day History”
