Veterans Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed annually on November 11th. The primary purpose of the day is to honor and thank all military veterans, living or dead, who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The term "Veterans Day" itself is a proper noun. This grammatical classification is significant as it designates a specific, unique entitythe official day of remembrancedistinguishing it from the common noun "veterans" which refers to the people being honored.
The date holds historical importance, originating as Armistice Day. It commemorates the end of major hostilities of World War I, which formally ceased on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. In 1938, an Act of Congress made November 11th in each year a legal holiday dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Following World War II and the Korean War, which resulted in a new generation of veterans, legislation was passed in 1954 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower to change the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in order to honor American veterans of all wars.
The observance on November 11th is a deliberate choice to preserve the historical significance of the date. Unlike Memorial Day, which honors service members who died in service to their country, Veterans Day is intended to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military, in wartime or peacetime. It is largely intended to thank living veterans for their dedicated service, contributions, and sacrifices made to protect the nation's freedoms.
