Veterans Day 2010: Why It's Today, How It's Changed, More
As the U.S. honors Veterans Day, find out why it happens in November, why it doesn't fall on a Monday, and some simple ways to mark the day.
Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day, and the date was chosen for its symbolic significance, said John Raughter, communications director for the American Legion, an organization of veterans helping other veterans.
"November 11 was intended to observe the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, which marked the armistice of World War I," Raughter said. (Related: "Veterans Say Dogs of War Deserve a Memorial.")
The first Armistice Day in the U.S. occurred on November 11, 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson declared that "to us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for
