J.D.R. Hawkins

One bullet can make a man a hero… or a casualty.

Archive for the tag “Veteran’s Day”

11 Nov 2014

In Honor of Our Vets

Veteran’s Day was originally established as Armistice Day, when the Armistice was signed ending WWI. Major hostilities were ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. President Woodrow Wilson declared it a holiday in 1919. In 1953, the idea was spread to include all veterans, changing it from Armistice Day to “All Veterans’ Day,” and in 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law. All states within the United States observe this holiday.

National ceremonies take place every year at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The day will be celebrated with parades, speeches, and observances of our beloved veterans. So if you know someone who has bravely served in defense of this great country, give them a heartfelt thank you. And if they are one of the few remaining veterans who fought in WWII, give them an extra special hug. Without these men and women, our freedom would be lost.

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11 Nov 2013
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Hug a Vet

Tomorrow we honor those who have served in the armed forces on what is now known as Veteran’s Day. The day was originally established as Armistice Day, the day that the Armistice was signed ending WWI. Major hostilities were ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. President Woodrow Wilson declared it a holiday in 1919. In 1953, the idea was spread to include all veterans, changing it from Armistice Day to “All Veterans” Day, and in 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law. All states within the United States observe this holiday. 

National ceremonies take place every year at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery. The day will be celebrated with parades, speeches, and observances of our beloved veterans. So if you know someone who has bravely served in defense of this great country, give them a hug. If they are serving now, hug them. If they fought in the Middle East, Vietnam, or Korea, give them big hugs (my dad was a Korean War vet who served as a Marine). And if they are one of the few remaining veterans who fought in WWII, give them an extra special hug. Without these men and women, our freedom would be lost.

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07 Nov 2011

Annual Remembrance Day

Beginning on November 18, Gettysburg will hold its annual Remembrance Day celebration. A ball at the Gettysburg Hotel will kick off the occasion, followed by several other events leading up to the 148th anniversary of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which took place on November 19, 1863. These events also revolve around Veteran’s Day on Friday.

Music will be provided by the Libby Prison Minstrels (I love that name) and the Dodworth Saxhorn Band. The cost includes a three-course dinner. Next weekend (Nov. 19), reenactors will march through town. Following the parade, a presentation will take place at the Cyclorama in Gettysburg National Military Park. After the ceremony, men in blue and gray will congregate at the wall near Cemetery Ridge, where soldiers clashed during Pickett’s Charge. A ceremonial handshake between sides will take place, symbolizing unity, and then the reenactors will break away to lay wreaths, flags, and flowers on the graves of the men they portrayed. Reenactors include soldiers, women, and children dressed in period costumes, musicians, including drummers and flutists, and flag-bearers. “President Lincoln” will lead the parade in a white carriage.

A word to the wise: if you plan on attending, bring along your long johns! It gets very cold in Pennsylvania in mid-November.

For further information, contact johngetysg@aol.com

Or visit: www.remembrancedayball.com.

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