Day honors the veterans who kept our nation free

Veterans Day, Nov. 11, is that one day of the year set aside for veterans. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed it to be a national holiday in 1938.

Parades and programs, including patriotic and church services, will pay tribute to those who served to keep our nation free.

Originally, the day was called Armistice Day to honor those who fought in World War I, which ended on Nov. 11, 1918.

After World War II, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill in 1954 changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day, honoring those who served in all wars.

In 1968 during President Lyndon Johnson’s administration, Congress changed the date from the traditional Nov. 11 to the last Monday in October.

This change caused a lot of confusion as to when this solemn and important day should be observed — so much so that the day was forgotten and not observed in many towns and cities.

Many veterans, civic and patriotic groups felt that the day, as originally intended, should be a solemn day of remembering and honoring those who sacrificed and suffered so much for this great country of ours and should not be a three-day holiday for shopping.

After 10 years of petitions and protests, in 1978 President Jimmy Carter had the date changed back to Nov. 11.

Most veterans organizations observe the day with patriotic and religious services in their own communities.

The Raritan Valley Veterans Alliance will sponsor its annual Veterans Day Parade starting at 11 a.m. at the monument located on Livingston Avenue and George Street in New Brunswick. Marchers will include many veterans, school and civic groups. After brief services at the monument, the parade will proceed from George Street to French Street, crossing the bridge to Highland Park, where it will end after a brief service at the World War I monument.

Joseph F. Ziemba

Supervisor

Middlesex County Department of Veterans Interment