Honoring Our Nation's Veterans

November 11 is the day America pays tribute to its veterans and thanks them for their service. More than 100 years have passed since this tradition began, and our admiration and gratitude for veterans endures. As we honor them for their sacrifices, devotion and selflessness, let’s reflect on this evolving community of heroes and the history of this significant day.  

Though the official end of World War I was marked by the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in Paris on June 28, 1919, it was the cessation of hostilities on November 11, 1918 that was burned into most people’s memories as the end of the conflict. And so, on November 11, 1919, Americans recognized Armistice Day. Congress adopted a resolution on June 4, 1926, requesting that President Calvin Coolidge issue annual proclamations calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. Then, on May 13, 1938, a Congressional Act made the 11th of November a legal holiday “to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day.”

In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks from Birmingham, Ala., had the idea to turn Armistice Day into a celebration of all veterans. Weeks led a delegation to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, who endorsed the idea of National Veterans Day. Though Weeks began celebrating the holiday in Alabama in 1947, it was not until seven years later that U.S. Representative Ed Rees from Kansas presented a bill establishing the holiday through Congress. President Eisenhower signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954. Congress amended the bill on June 1, 1954, replacing “Armistice” with “Veterans,” and it has been known and celebrated as Veterans Day since.

The Power of 11

In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress, moving the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. The law went into effect in 1971, but in 1975 President Gerald Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11, citing the historic significance of the fact that the armistice between the Allies of World War I and Germany was signed in “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918. Even today, Veterans Day is commemorated by some with the ringing of bells or a simple moment of silence at that precise moment on November 11.

U.S. Veterans Today

There’s still a strong tendency to think of Veterans Day only as a tribute to those who served in the distant past – when photography was black and white, and airplanes had propellers. But the inevitable march of time has, of course, substantially altered the demographics of living veterans. Here is a snapshot of who they are today:

• There are approximately 18 million living U.S. veterans.¹
• 14.2 million served during at least one war.²
• 5.1 million served during the Vietnam era.²
• 9 million served during the Gulf War era.²
• 444,000 served during the Korean conflict.²
• Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War II, approximately 66,000 are still alive.²
• 2.1 million veterans are women.²
• The three states in which the most veterans reside are Texas (1.5 million), California (1.5 million), and Florida (1.4 million).³

On Veterans Day, and all year round, we salute past and present military members for courageously serving. Watch our video tribute to America's veterans.

Sources:

1. "National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics." Www.Va.Gov. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, September 12, 2024. Veteran Population - National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (va.gov) Open above page > The Nation – Age/Gender File Name: 1L_VetPop2023_National_NCVAS (3)
2. "National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics." Www.Va.Gov. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, September 12, 2024. Veteran Population - National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (va.gov Open above page > The Nation – Period Served File Name: 2L_VetPop2023_POS_NCVAS (1)
3. "National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics." Www.Va.Gov. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, September 12, 2024. Veteran Population - National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (va.gov)  Open above page > The States – Age/Gender Fine Name: 6L_VetPop2023_State_NCVAS