Veterans Day 2008: Where, Why and How to Celebrate

Locations in this article:  Arlington, TX San Diego, CA

US Embassy SealIn the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, an armistice treaty between the warring parties of World War I took effect, thus halting combat in “the war to end all wars.”

Though the war officially ended on June 28, 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, November 11 remained a day of great significance around the world, and in 1926 it was declared a national holiday in America known as Armistice Day.

The holiday was originally intended to commemorate those who had served in WWI, but after the enormous sacrifices of World War II and the Korean War it was broadened to include all U.S. veterans.

In 1954 Congress passed a bill re-christening the holiday Veterans Day.

Incidentally, Veterans Day is slightly different in its intent from Memorial Day. Veterans Day is a day to honor those who served in the military, both in wartime and in peace. Memorial Day is intended to remember those who died serving the nation in armed conflict.

90 years from the day of the original armistice, Americans still remember veterans from WWI to the present in thousands of ceremonies, parades and remembrances across the country:

  • “The Forgotten War – Korea” will be the theme of the 2008 San Diego Veterans Day Parade, which will start at 11 a.m. in downtown San Diego.
  • The Boston Veterans Day Parade will begin at 1 p.m. on the Boston Common and will follow a path crisscrossing the Freedom Trail.
  • In Abilene, Kansas, veterans will be honored at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum. A local VFW post will conduct a brief memorial service on the library grounds at 9:30 a.m., and the movie The True Glory will be screened for free at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Learn more about travel experiences in Presidential Libraries around the country by following this link.

Stars and Stripes- American flagMany of the biggest celebrations on Veterans Day 2008 will take place in Washington D.C. At 11 a.m. a wreath will be laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, and at 1 p.m. there will be a ceremony featuring speakers, a color guard and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Also at 1 p.m. the Naval District of Washington will lay a wreath at the Lone Sailor Statue at the United States Navy Memorial.

Even if you can’t make it to our nation’s capital for tomorrow’s celebrations, you can remember veterans year-round in many of the monuments, museums and parks dedicated to them throughout the city. Read our Off the Brochure Travel Guide to Washington D.C. for more ideas.

There are plenty of Veterans Day activities for kids, and many organizations provide games and activities for just this purpose. The Veterans Administration Web site offers a fun selection of instructive online games, fact sheets and puzzles. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also offers tips for to help kids participate in the holiday, including making thank-you cards for local veterans and inviting a veteran to speak in their classroom.

If you want to get to Washington on the cheap, check out our article on one dollar bus fares to DC. Want to fly? Check out America’s Best Alternate Airports.

Washington is also a surprisingly eco-friendly location. Read Capital Green: Washington DC’s Eco-Tourism Cred for more details on why and how.

If you or your travel companion are handicapped or otherwise physically disabled, don’t let that deter you from visiting our nation’s monuments to veterans and other aspects of our heritage. In America’s Accessible Heritage, we evaluate dozens of accessible landmarks in Washington D.C. and beyond.

By Karen Elowitt for PeterGreenberg.com.

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