Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day is always a special day for us to remember how far we've come thanks to the many men and women who sacrificed so we can live our lives to the fullest. So I thought on this day of remembrance, I would highlight a bit of the history and little-known facts of Veteran's Day.

In the U.S. Veteran's Day was formerly known as Armistice Day (after the cease-fire agreement of World War I was signed which ended hostilities on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month) and was changed in 1954 to its current name. In Britain and Canada today is known as "Remembrance Day" and people walk around wearing poppies. I wanted to highlight why and how the poppy became a symbol to recognize and honor our veterans and those who were killed in action. In the U.S. we more often see poppies used on Memorial Day, but they are still an official symbol and way of honoring our veterans.

According to the United States Department of Veteran Affairs:
“The poppy was adopted as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) at its national convention in Seattle, Washington, in August 1922, following the first nationwide distribution of poppies ever conducted by any veterans organization.The VFW celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Buddy Poppy as its official flower in 1997. While profits from its sales have helped countless veterans and their widows, widowers and orphans over the years, the poppy itself survives as a perpetual tribute to those who have given their lives for the nation’s freedom.”

The tradition of red poppies to honor veterans who have sacrificed their lives serving our country originated with a poem written by a surgeon with Canada’s First Brigade Artillery Colonel John McCrae during World War I titled "In Flanders Fields".
During World War I, many soldiers died on the Flanders battlefields in western Belgium and northern France. As McCrae looked over the rows of soldiers graves, his grief compelled him to write the poem In Flanders Field.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly.
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.