Veterans Day

For other uses, see Veterans Day (disambiguation).

Veterans Day
U.S. World War I veteran Joseph Ambrose (1896–1988) attends the dedication parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982, wearing his original Brodie helmet and doughboy uniform and holding the flag that covered the casket of his son, Clement, who was killed in the Korean War.
Also calledArmistice Day
Observed byUnited States
TypeNational
CelebrationsVeterans Day parades
DateNovember 11[a]
FrequencyAnnual
Related toRemembrance Day

Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces.[b][1][2] It began, and now coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are commemorated in other countries, marking the anniversary of the end of World War I.[3] Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.[4]

Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial Day, a U.S. public holiday in May: Veterans Day commemorates the service of all U.S. veterans, while Memorial Day specifically honors those who have died while in military service.[5] Another military holiday that also occurs in May, Armed Forces Day, honors those currently serving in the U.S. military. Additionally, Women Veterans Day is recognized by a growing number of U.S. states that specifically honor women who have served in the U.S. military.


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  1. ^ "U.S.C. Title 38 – Veterans' Benefits". govinfo.gov. US Government Publishing Office. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  2. ^ "5 Facts to Know About Veterans Day". US Department of Defense. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference VAhistory was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Kelber, Sarah Kickler (May 28, 2012). "Today is not Veterans Day". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved October 21, 2013.