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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2004-11-11

The Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month

Veterans Day, 1954

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
3071

Whereas it has long been our customs to commemorate November 11,
the anniversary of the ending of World War I, by paying tribute to the
heroes of that tragic struggle and by rededicating ourselves to the cause
of peace; and

Whereas in the intervening years the United States has been
involved in two other great military conflicts, which have added millions
of veterans living and dead to the honor rolls of this Nation; and

Whereas the Congress passed a concurrent resolution on June 4,
1926 (44 Stat. 1982), calling for the observance of November 11 with
appropriate ceremonies, and later provided in an act approved May 13,
1938 (52 Stat. 351) , that the eleventh of November should be a legal
holiday and should be known as Armistice Day; and

Whereas, in order to expand the significance of that
commemoration and in order that a grateful Nation might pay appropriate
homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed so much to
the preservation of this Nation, the Congress, by an act approved
June 1, 1954 (68 Stat. 168), changed the name of the holiday to Veterans
Day:

Now, Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the
United States of America, do hereby call upon all of our citizens to
observe Thursday, November 11, 1954, as Veterans Day. On that day let
us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly,
on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage
of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting
an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.

So. . .John, Jeff, Dad, Uncle Bill, Jose, and millions and millions of men and women who I will never have the honor or pleasure of knowing. . .

Thank You.
Posted by: Michael / 11/11/2004 10:40:00 PM

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