A look back at Veteran’s Day
See photos of how Throggs Neck celebrated with its annual parade
BY STEVEN GOODSTEIN
Local residents, elected offi
cials and veterans attended
the 35th annual Bronx Veterans
Day Parade in Throggs Neck on
Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019.
The parade kicked off at
Lafayette and East Tremont avenues
Flags carried in memorial position
for the 22 veterans that die each
day to suicide.
November 11: A day to honor all veterans
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,28 NOVVEMBER 6-12, 2020 BTR
and the route continued to
Randall Avenue and concluded
with a ceremony honoring veterans
at Bicentennial Veterans
Memorial Park.
The grand marshal for the
parade was Roberto Oviedo, who
served as a legal support specialist
in the United States Marine
Corps from 1988 to 1993 and conducted
security operations during
the Gulf War in 1991-92
Lexi “marches” in the parade Photos by Laura Stone
BY BRONX TIMES
The month of November
is a special time for the nation’s
veterans. While Memorial
Day honors fallen
soldiers and service people,
Veteran’s Day, which takes
place each November, is an
opportunity to commemorate
the efforts of all who
have been in the armed
forces, with a special emphasis
on living veterans. While
people are encouraged to
thank veterans throughout
the year, Veteran’s Day is a
particularly poignant time
to show your appreciation
for the men and women of
the military.
Veteran’s Day takes place
on Nov. 11 and marks an important
moment in history.
On Nov. 11, 1918, World War
I, known at the time as “The
Great War,” unoffi cially
ended when an armistice,
or temporary cessation of
hostilities, took place between
Germany and the Allied
nations on the eleventh
hour of the eleventh day of
the eleventh month. World
War I ended on paper when
the Treaty of Versailles was
signed on June 28, 1919.
In November 1919, President
Woodrow Wilson proclaimed
Nov. 11 as the fi rst
commemoration of Armistice
Day, according to the
U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs. Armistice Day became
a federal holiday in the
United States in 1938. However,
after subsequent wars,
including World War II and
the Korean War, veterans’
service organizations lobbied
for Armistice Day to be
revised so it would be more
inclusive of all veterans.
On June 1, 1954, President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
signed legislation to strike
the word “Armistice” from
the holiday’s name in favor
of “Veterans.” Since then,
Nov. 11 has been known as
“Veterans Day” and has honored
veterans of all wars.
Veterans Day was moved to
the fourth Monday in October
for roughly seven years
under the Uniform Monday
Holiday Act, which sought to
ensure three-day weekends
for federal employees by celebrating
certain national
holidays on Mondays. But
since Nov. 11 bore such signifi
cance, many states disapproved
and continued to observe
the holiday on Nov. 11.
In 1975, President Gerald
Ford signed legislation to return
the observation of Veterans
Day to Nov. 11 beginning
in 1978. Should the day
fall on a Saturday or Sunday,
the federal government
observes the holiday on the
previous Friday or following
Monday, respectively, according
to History.com. The
United States isn’t the only
country to celebrate its veterans.
Canada, Great Britain,
Australia and France
also commemorate the veterans
of World War I and II on
or near November 11 as Remembrance
Day or Remembrance
Sunday.
Veteran’s Day, which takes place each November, is an opportunity to
commemorate the efforts of all who have been in the armed forces, with
a special emphasis on living veterans.
Girl Scout Troop 1115 members
Angelina Vreftos (l) and Magnolia
Maczeo get ready to march.
/History.com