HUDSON VALLEY – Monday marks Veterans Day across the United States, a time when the nation pauses to honor and remember those who have served in the country’s armed forces.
Ceremonies are being held across the region, state and nation to salute those who have served, and continue to serve, to protect the country. American flags are also placed at the graves of veterans. Late this past week, the Junior ROTC at Minisink Valley High School continued its tradition of placing flags at every one of the thousands of graves at the Orange County veterans Cemetery in Goshen.
“My father was a proud veteran who installed in me a reverence for our military and taught me to always honor the brave men and women who fought to defend our flag,” said Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (D, NY-18). “I bring this respect for our veterans with me every day to Washington, and work to serve those who served us. Thank you to all of our Hudson Valley veterans and our veteran families for their dedication and patriotism to our great nation.”
Veterans Day was first known as Armistice Day as approved by Congress on May 13, 1938. It was set aside as an annual legal holiday.
In 1945, World War II veteran Ray Weeks from Birmingham, Alabama proposed that the day be expanded to celebrate all veterans, not just those who died in World War I. He led a delegation to General Dwight Eisenhower, who supported the idea of National Veterans Day. Weeks led the first national celebration in 1947 in Alabama and annually until his death in 1985.
President Eisenhower signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954, and on June 1, 1954, Congress amended the bill replacing “Armistice” with “Veterans” and the day has been known as Veterans Day since.
