Communities throughout Oregon will once again host ceremonies, parades, and special gatherings to honor America’s military veterans and commemorate Veterans Day. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of that war. A Congressional resolution in 1926 made Nov. 11th an annual observance and in 1938 it became a national holiday. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day so as to honor veterans who served in all American wars. A ceremony will again be held in Salem at the Afghan-Iraqi Freedom Memorial on the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs grounds, 700 Summer St. NE. The names of 142 Oregonians killed while serving in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, and those with Oregon military ties, will be read aloud. This year’s event will mark the first time since its dedication, on Nov. 11, 2006, that names of Oregon’s fallen will not be inscribed on the memorial. The guest speaker at the ceremony will be Joanne Krumberger, Director, VA Portland Health Care System. Military honors will be presented by North Salem High School’s JROTC. ODVA has compiled a list of other Veterans Day events occurring statewide that can be viewed online at: www.oregondva.com/blog/2014/10/22/2014-oregon-veterans-day-events.
