CLEARFIELD – A large crowd paused to remember those who have served America during the John Lewis Shade Post No. 6, American Legion’s annual Veterans Day services Wednesday morning.
“Many Americans have put on a uniform when called upon and made a sacrifice,” County Commissioner John A. Sobel said.
“It’s a day to celebrate the millions of Americans – extraordinary Americans – who put on the uniform, when America is threatened. They’ve helped keep America safe and free.”
Sobel said that Veterans Day was formerly known as Armistice Day. He said it was initially set as a U.S. holiday to honor the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918.
On the aforementioned date, an armistice, or temporary ending of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I, then known as “the Great War.”
Although the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, November 11 remained the date that marked the end of “the Great War.” In Nov. 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.
“(World War I) was believed to be the war to end all wars,” Sobel said.
In legislation that was passed in 1938, Nov. 11 was “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.'” The new legal holiday honored World War I veterans, according to the Military.com Web site.
It further stated that in 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress – at the urging of the veterans service organizations – amended the Act of 1938.
As a result, it stated that the world “Armistice” was removed and replaced by “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
At the ceremony, Sobel reminded attendees that America remains a country at war.
“And, whether you agree or disagree, I would submit we should all agree that our troops are brave,” he said
The United States Senate Resolution 143, which was passed on Aug. 4, 2001, declared the week of Nov.11 through Nov. 17, 2001, as “National Veterans Awareness Week.” The resolution called for educational efforts to be directed at elementary and secondary school for students concerning the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.