November 11th - 101st Veterans Day - 2019

11/12/2019 (Permalink)

"We don't know them all, but we owe them all"

There is no doubt that we are forever indebted to the service and sacrifice paid by both past and present veterans. The courage and bravery those men and women show every day is one of a true hero.

Yesterday was the 101st Veterans Day and SERVPRO of St. Mary's and Calvert County would like to provide you with interesting facts about Veterans Day.

• Why November 11?: To honor the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the date and time that signaled the end of World War I. 
• Name Change: In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the holiday's name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
• Veterans of Vietnam: Approximately 35% of the veterans living today served in the Vietnam War.
• A Change Nobody Wanted: In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress, which moved the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. That did not last long as the law went into effect in 1971 and in 1975, President Gerald Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11th.
• Two Different Holidays: People often confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day. The difference is that Memorial Day honors those who died while serving in the military and Veterans Day honors all those who have served in the U.S. military, alive and deceased. 
• A Nation of Veterans: 18.2 million living veterans served during at least one war as of 2018.
• The Greatest Generation: Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War II, about 496,777 were still alive in 2018.
• East Coast: Connecticut was home to the highest percentage of WWII veterans as of 2018 at 7.1 percent. 
• Highest Percentage of Veterans: As of 2017, the top three states were Alaska, Maine, and Montana 
• Leonardtown: Our own St. Mary's County holds one of the largest Veterans Day Parades in Maryland.

Remember to thank a Veteran not only on Veterans Day, but every day. SERVPRO of St. Mary's and Calvert Counties thank our Veterans with respect, honor and gratitude.