(11/10) The Town of Walkersville honored their local veterans on the Sunday before Veterans’ Day this year, coming together for a service planned by the Walkersville Veterans’ Committee at Memorial Park. In spite of the cold, nearly 200 residents gathered at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Main Street, filling all the chairs set out by staff and forming a crowd around the memorial.
Kathy Sixx of the Walkersville Veterans Committee began the event with a warm welcome. She acknowledged all the veterans in the audience.
Following the wreath laying, Bill Butler introduced the guest speaker, Col. Fred Schumkaer of Frederick.
Schumkaer dedicated his time to recounting the abundant history behind Veterans’ Day. While it was President Eisenhower who proclaimed November 11th as Veterans’ Day, its origins lay in the armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany that went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. For that reason, November 11th, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of "the war to end all wars."
On November 11th, 1919, President Wilson proclaimed the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "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…"
The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m.
In 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and Airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the Veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1st, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American Veterans of all wars.
Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11th, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11th not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but also helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Burgess Chad Weddle and the Town Commissioners distributed tote bags with the Walkersville Town seal on it to each veteran by branch of military, following which the crowd sang "God Bless the USA" in unison.
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