Today is Veterans Day in America, Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world. As a veteran, I celebrate this holiday more so than some other holidays in the calender year. My dad was a Navy veteran from WWII, as was my Uncle Reg. When it came time for me to serve our country, it was a natural choice to join the Navy. Here is a little history of Veterans Day from the Wikipedia page:
The U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said
In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas man named Alvin King the owner of a shoe repair shop, had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11 to honor all veterans. With the help of U.S. Representative Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954.[3]
Congress amended this act on June 1, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day since.[4][5]
Although originally scheduled for celebration on November 11 of every year, starting in 1971 in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of October. In 1978, it was moved back to its original celebration on November 11.
In order to properly (IMHO) celebrate the day, for today's play list, I have compiled a musical salute from one veteran to all the others past, present and future. I begin with The Star Spangled Banner sung by Whitney Houston followed by Anthem of The Angels by Breaking Benjamin, America The Beautiful sung by Willy Nelson, The Battle Hymn of The Republic, The Army Goes Rolling Along, The Air Force Song, Anchors Aweigh, The Marine Corps Hymn, Semper Paratus, Semper Fidelis, Stars and Stripes Forever, Taps and a final moving tribute to our fallen heroes with a beautiful rendition on bagpipes of Amazing Grace. The play list is followed by this week's edition Naked or Nearly So which will be sure to excite you, veteran or not. Thanks for stopping by and helping me celebrate this great holiday. See you again tomorrow. Until next time as always, Enjoy!
The U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said
"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."[2]The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting that the President Calvin Coolidge issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies.[2] An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."
In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas man named Alvin King the owner of a shoe repair shop, had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11 to honor all veterans. With the help of U.S. Representative Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954.[3]
Congress amended this act on June 1, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day since.[4][5]
Although originally scheduled for celebration on November 11 of every year, starting in 1971 in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of October. In 1978, it was moved back to its original celebration on November 11.
In order to properly (IMHO) celebrate the day, for today's play list, I have compiled a musical salute from one veteran to all the others past, present and future. I begin with The Star Spangled Banner sung by Whitney Houston followed by Anthem of The Angels by Breaking Benjamin, America The Beautiful sung by Willy Nelson, The Battle Hymn of The Republic, The Army Goes Rolling Along, The Air Force Song, Anchors Aweigh, The Marine Corps Hymn, Semper Paratus, Semper Fidelis, Stars and Stripes Forever, Taps and a final moving tribute to our fallen heroes with a beautiful rendition on bagpipes of Amazing Grace. The play list is followed by this week's edition Naked or Nearly So which will be sure to excite you, veteran or not. Thanks for stopping by and helping me celebrate this great holiday. See you again tomorrow. Until next time as always, Enjoy!
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