Tuesday will bring Veterans Day for 2025. The day has been observed in one form or another since 1919, when then-President Woodrow Wilson commemorated the first anniversary of the World War I armistice.
Wilson said, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”
A Congressional act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday – a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.”
After American involvement in World War II and the Korean War, Congress renamed Armistice Day, Veterans Day in 1954. It’s worth noting that this change came into effect “after being urged by Veterans’ service groups to change it from Armistice to Veterans,” According to the Veterans Affairs website.
The Department of Veterans Affairs says we now “Celebrate the holiday to honor the people who have served in the armed forces for their love of the United States, their loyalty to the American people and their willingness to fight and die for the public good.”
It seems that we just celebrated Memorial Day, then suddenly it’s November already and Veterans Day. Some are naturally confused by the two holidays. Besides being observed in two different months, the set purpose of Veterans Day and Memorial Day is different.
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May each year and is meant to honor all who served and gave their lives for their country. Veterans Day is in November, and honors all veterans, both living and dead, who served in times of war and peace.
Communities across the country and here in our region have celebrated the day in various ways through the years. Some have parades, candlelight vigils, programs in cemeteries and at battlefields. Some gather at veterans’ parks, VFW or American Legion Posts. Some restaurants even provide free meals for veterans that day.
Here we have celebrated our veterans with a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Park. However, it has been moved indoors for the last few years due to inclement weather. It will again be indoors at First Baptist Church of Greeneville, the program begins at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning.
While the program has been nice at the veterans’ park, the church does allow comfortable seating in a climate-controlled environment. Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Larry E. Nelson will be the guest speaker at the Veterans Day ceremony, giving his talk titled, “Honoring All Who Served.” The event is hosted by American Legion Post 64.
The last Wednesday issue of The Greeneville Sun carried a front-page story of the proceedings which should be a patriotic and heartwarming event for all in the community. This is another way we can show our support for our veterans and our community, while too saying “thank you” in a meaningful way.
The Greene County Honor Guard will present colors, and will fire a three-volley salute, following the playing of taps at the conclusion.
I always write that every day should be Veterans Day. There are many ways we can honor our veterans both living and dead, not just cramming it into a couple hours in one day. There is more we can do than by just attending the Tuesday morning program.
The Veterans Administration has a list of items needed by patients at their hospitals. I know there have been blanket, and sock drives by groups. They appreciate books and magazines, and some groups donate Bibles. As the old saying goes, every little bit helps.
One local noteworthy way of showing our support is “Wreaths of Remembrance.” The Friends of the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site sponsors this program each year to place a wreath on 2,000 graves at the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery.
The national cemetery is a gem of our community and there is nothing more breathtaking during the Christmas holidays than driving by the cemetery and viewing the beauty of the wreaths set against pristine stones. Now that is honoring our veterans. That too is saying “thank you” for your service. It’s festive and adds to the beauty of the Christmas Season. It reminds us that amid all the lights and glitter, they too are a part of the reason for the season.
The cost of a wreath is $12, and that is a small price to pay to honor the memory of one who sacrificed all for their country. One who sacrificed for the liberties we enjoy today. The wreaths can be given in memory or in honor of a veteran, family member, or whomever one wishes. You don’t have to dedicate the wreaths, but it is a nice personal touch to honor and remember others.
Take time to purchase a wreath, you can purchase one, ten, or a hundred. To purchase wreaths, send your check to Friends of Andrew Johnson NHP, 60 Shiloh Road, P.O. Box 5971, Greeneville, TN 37745. Lowes of Greeneville is a supporter of this annual project, providing wreaths at a reasonable cost, transportation and employee labor.
On Veterans Day we should attend the program led by local veterans. We should take time to visit the veterans’ memorial park and read the names of the soldiers who served from Greene County. Just up the street is the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery, another must visit place to honor veterans.
I always recommend visitors walk down the rows of stones and read the names. Read their service, think about where they were and the hardships they endured for the comfort we enjoy on this day. I do practice what I preach, and the fresh air and the view is good for us all.
On top of the hill is the resting place of the 17th president of the United States and his family. Andrew Johnson as military governor of Tennessee during the Civil War was a brigadier general. His son Charles joined the 10th Tennessee Infantry as an assistant surgeon, and son Robert served as colonel of the 4th TN Infantry. Son-in-law Daniel Stover took part in the bridge burning activities in East Tennessee, serving as colonel of the 4th TN Infantry.
The VFW on Harlan Street has an obelisk that honors Greene Countians killed in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. It was once located in North Main Street and moved with the VFW. It is another place to stop and pay respects to the veterans whose names are forever remembered in stone. Let’s not forget the World War II “Midway’s Boys monument” near West Greene, another place to visit and spend a few minutes reading the names. As long as we say their names, they are not forgotten.
Cemeteries across the region are filled with veterans from the Revolutionary War to the modern wars. It is incredible to walk through our cemeteries and see all the veterans’ markers. There are many, too, that do not have markers reflecting their service, but they were veterans all the same.
It is a good time to watch a good war movie or miniseries to better understand the sacrifices of our combat veterans. I know these aren’t real, but they are based on facts. “Saving Private Ryan” and the HBO series “Band of Brothers” are two of the best. There are so many good World War II movies from the 1960s that give an idea of what these men and women lived through.
“We Were Soldiers Once … and Young” is one of my favorites of the Vietnam era. I will warn you it is brutal. It is based on the book of the same title by Lt. General Hal Moore. The Hal Moore Museum in Bardstown, Kentucky, on Museum Row has a large display of Moore’s Army items from his career. Bardstown is a day trip from Greeneville.
The Nov. 6, 1963, edition of The Greeneville Sun carried a Veterans Day column about the upcoming holiday. Serving on the state honorary committee was Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Alvin C. York. “Sgt. York” is another good movie to watch. I have been to York’s grave and home, now a state park. I knew his son, Andrew Jackson York, “Andy,” who was the park manager. The Alvin York State Park is another day trip from Greeneville.
I know that we have some local reserves being deployed in the coming days and will be away for the holidays. One local family put up their Christmas decorations and had Christmas with a son that is being deployed. Next to making the ultimate sacrifice for one’s country, being away from family, especially during the holidays, is likely the most stressful time.
The Nov. 10, 1954, edition of The Greeneville Sun carried a headline, “The Nation Pauses Tomorrow On First Veterans Day In Tribute To Living And Dead of Nine Wars.” It read that “The day will find speechmakers rededicating the country to the cause of world peace. A minute of silence will be observed at 11 A.M. to honor the war dead.”
The United States observes a moment of silence on Veterans Day, as mandated by the Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act. This act directs the president to issue a proclamation calling for a two-minute national moment of silence at 2:11 p.m. EST. The observation of this moment is intended to honor and reflect on the service and sacrifice of all our veterans.
The 1954 column continued, “The spotlight would be the program at the tomb of the unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. Undoubtably the day will foster new traditions. Its purpose has been widened to honor some 31 million veterans of all the nations wars – The Revolution, The War of 1812, The Mexican War, The Civil War, The Indian Wars, The Spanish American War, World War I, World War II and the Korean War. The moment of silence for those who died in uniform will be for the 1,113,000 men instead of the 131,000 who fell in World War I. Some 21 million living veterans will also be honored.”
A search of modern figures reports that “Approximately 15.8 million Americans were veterans in 2023, which is 6.1% of the adult population. The number of Americans who have ever served is likely higher, as current veteran numbers only reflect those alive today. In 2023, the living veteran population included 1.7 million women.”
Another search revealed that “Over 41 million Americans have served in the U.S. military throughout the nation’s history, with more than 16 million serving during World War II alone.”
According to the Pew Foundation, “Veterans who served in the last 30 years make up the largest number of living veterans, according to population model estimates from the VA. Veterans from the Gulf War era, which spans from August 1990 through the present, surpassed Vietnam-era veterans in 2016. (Veterans who served in multiple eras are counted only in the earliest one.)”
Of the Greatest Generation, Pew reports “Fewer than 120,000 World War II veterans are alive today, making up less than 1% of all living veterans.” My father Eldridge Massey and Uncle Glenn Southerland were a part of this group. They too are gone as are many others, their names carved in stone at the veterans’ park as a reminder of their service. I am fortunate to know a couple World War II veterans that are still living.
Let us remember to honor our veterans, not just one day, but every day. Remember to thank them for their service. For those no longer with us, attend the memorial service, and help place the wreaths at Andrew Johnson National Cemetery. It is the least we can do for those who have given so much so we can enjoy our freedoms today.
