Veterans Day commemorated on Nov. 11 VFW plans annual parade in Anna

Union County will join in commemorating Veterans Day on Thursday, Nov. 11.

A local tradition continues as part of the observance of Veterans Day.

An annual Veterans Day parade is planned on Thursday in Anna.

Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I.

Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American wars.

The day honors living military veterans with parades and speeches across the nation.

A national ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia The U.S. Census Bureau shared the following statistics for Veterans Day:

21.9 million: The number of military veterans in the United States in 2009.

1.5 million: The number of female veterans in 2009.

2.3 million: The number of black veterans in 2009. Additionally, 1.1 million veterans were Hispanic; and 17.7 million were non-Hispanic white.

9 million: The number of veterans 65 and older in 2009. At the other end of the age spectrum, 1.7 million were younger than 35.

7.6 million: Number of Vietnam-era veterans in 2009. Thirty-five percent of all living veterans served during this time (1964-1975).

In addition, 4.5 million served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present); 2.3 million in World War II (1941-1945); 2.7 million in the Korean War (1950-1953); and 5.6 million in peacetime only.

47,000: Number of living veterans in 2009 who served during the Vietnam era and both Gulf War eras and no other period.