Veterans Day
Crosses in Arlington National Cemetery
Originally called Armistice Day, this holiday was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I. It falls on November 11, the day when that war ended in 1918, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the United States has fought.
Veterans' organizations hold parades or other special ceremonies, and the president customarily places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
Background
- American Legion
- Arlington National Cemetery
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
- Today in History: Veterans Day (Library of Congress)
Statistics
Exhibits, Memorials
- American Battle Monuments Commission
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Arlington National Cemetery)
- Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall Page
- The Virtual Wall (Vietnam Veterans Memorial)
More Links
Abridged from U.S. State Department IIP publications and other U.S. government materials.