Veterans Day November 11, 2008. Veterans Day is the day set aside to honor all those who have fought in defense of the United States.

Veterans Day

November 11, 2008

Veterans Day  is the day set aside to honor all those who have fought in defense of the United States.

It was originally known as

“Armistice Day” - the day

World War I ended at 11:00 a.m.,

November 11, 1918.

(The 11th hour of the 11th day

of the 11th month.)

The first Armistice Day ceremony was held in the United States

in 1921.

That day an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in

Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

However, the name was changed in 1954 to

“Veterans Day” to better reflect the honoring of all

U.S. veterans, regardless of when

they served their country.

Throughout the historyof America men and women

have answered the call to serve their country.

For many, it cost them their lives.

American Revolution (1775–1783)

Total served: 217,000

Battle deaths: 4,435

War of 1812 (1812–1815)

Total served: 286,730

Battle deaths: 2,260

Civil War (1861–1865)  Total who fought in war: 3,263,363

Total who died: 498,332

Total served (Union) 2,213,363 Total deaths (Union) 364,511

Total served (Confederacy) 1,050,000Total deaths (Confederacy) 133,821

Spanish-American War (1898–1902) 

Total served 306,760 Total deaths 2,446

World War I (1917–1918)

Total served 4,734,991

Total deaths 116,516

World War II (1940–1945)

Total served 16,112,566

Total deaths 405,399

Korean War (1950–1953)

Total served 5,720,000

Total deaths 54,264

Vietnam War (1964–1975)

Total served 9,200,000

Deployed to Southeast Asia

3,100,000

Total deaths 90,198

Persian Gulf War

(1990–1991)

Total served 2,322,332

Deployed to Gulf 1,136,658

Total deaths in Gulf: 148

There are approximately 25,038,459

American veterans living today.

Seek them out.

Thank them.

Your freedom is a gift from them.

Do you know a veteran?