WorldWide Drilling Resource

Honoring Our Country’s Veterans Adapted from Information from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs With nearly 20 million Veterans in every state and territory, there’s a good chance you know of, or are related to, a Veteran. Each year on November 11th, we take time out of our busy day to honor those who have served our country and defended our freedom. But, did you know the official holiday didn’t start out as Veterans Day? It was originally known as Armistice Day. During the time of The Great War, what would later be referred to as World War l, an armistice caused fighting to stop prior to the official signing of the Treaty of Versailles. This armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of the war. A year later, President Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day, a day dedicated to the cause of world peace. It was nearly two decades later on May 13, 1938, before Armistice Day was declared a legal holiday. This day was set aside to honor Veterans of World War I. However in 1954, after World War II, several Veteran organizations urged the 83rd Congress to amend the Act of 1938, by replacing the word Armistice with Veterans. With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th officially be- came a day to honor American Veterans of all wars, and the holiday was officially changed to Veterans Day. In 1968, The Uniform Holiday Bill briefly moved Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. Americans didn’t like the change, because the November 11th date was historically significant. So, Congress returned the observance of Veterans Day to its traditional date in November in 1978. Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The observance of Veterans Day has become a celebration to honor ALL those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime, for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. The National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arl ington National Cemetery, at precisely 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns. This site is the final rest- ing place of an America soldier from World War I whose name is “known but to God”. The burial site in Arl ington National Cemetery symbolizes dignity and reverence for America’s Veterans. Simi lar ceremonies occurred in En g l a n d a n d F r a n c e , wh e r e a n “unknown soldier” of the Great War was buried in each nation’s highest place of honor - in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe. These memorial gestures al l took place on November 11, giving universal recogni- tion to the celebrated ending of World War I. A lot has changed in the past 100 years. Apprec iat ing our count ry ’s Veterans is one thing that should never change. The WWDR Team would like to thank all Veterans for their service to our country. 29 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® NOVEMBER 2018 On June 1, 1954, President Eisenhower signed HR7786, changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day.