Veterans Day

November 12, 2012

By the afternoon of November 11th, 1918, the cratered fields and trenches of the Western Front had fallen silent. The armistice halting the First World War—the war that many Americans thought would be the last—had finally taken effect. Over 100,000 Americans gave their lives in the Great War, and many more were wounded. In the aftermath of the Allied victory, nations around the world moved to commemorate the sacrifices made by their people.

Here in the U.S., President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11th Armistice Day, which became a legal holiday during the Great Depression. But following the Second World War, returning veterans campaigned to transform Armistice Day into Veterans Day, so that we might recognize those who served in all of America's wars. Congress agreed and in 1954, President Eisenhower signed Veterans Day into law.

In 2012, Americans reflect on the sacrifices made by friends, neighbors, and family members in defense of the our great country. I join with the people of Northwest Missouri in extending my heartfelt thanks to all men and women who serve in our armed forces. It is with a debt of gratitude that I acknowledge the safety and freedoms we enjoy today are possible only because of our military.

There is an old saying that we sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. Veterans Day was created so that we may pay our respects to those very guardians.

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Sincerely,

Sam Graves