Wednesday Nov 11 2026 - Happy Veterans Day

Before we dig into more of what Veterans Day is and where it evolved, has anyone in Sidney seen a man out at the Boot Hill Cemetery, seemingly non-stop, going from headstone to headstone?

His name is Bob Gehrig and he is not a veteran, but he has a passion for helping others, especially those who have served our country. On his own, with his own money and time invested, has decided to take it upon himself to professionally clean and restore gravesites for veterans in Boot Hill Cemetery. He has been interviewed by several organizations there in Sidney, including the Chamber of Commerce, where he joined as a member, but he is not looking for fame or money from this project. It is entirely out of his respect for the deceased veterans. He does welcome donations of large pumice stones, because it takes a large amount on each headstone and they aren't cheap. You can visit his website, which we created for him, at www.gehrigheadstonecleaning.com to get his contact information. We will be posting video and new photos today of the veterans' headstones he has cleaned! 

Meanwhile, more on where Veterans Day got its roots...

 

Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I and evolved into a holiday honoring all U.S. military veterans.

 

World War I and Armistice Day (1918–1937)

• The Armistice: Major hostilities in World War I ended when an armistice with Germany took effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. 

• First Proclamation: President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11, 1919, as the first Armistice Day to honor the end of the Great War and those who served. 

• Federal Holiday: Congress made Armistice Day a legal federal holiday on May 13, 1938. 

Becoming Veterans Day (1954)

• Broadening the Scope: After the massive mobilization of World War II and the Korean War, veteran service groups urged the government to honor all American veterans—not just those from World War I.

• The Name Change: On June 1, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill changing the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. 

Shift to Mondays and Return to November 11 (1968–1978)

• Uniform Holiday Bill: In 1968, Congress passed a law moving Veterans Day and several other federal holidays to Mondays to create long weekends.

• Restoration: The Monday observances caused widespread public confusion. In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed a law returning the official observance of Veterans Day to Nov. 11 starting in 1978, where it remains today. 

 

 

 

 

What was the Armistice?

 

On Nov. 11, 1918, the Armistice of 11 Nov. 1918 took effect, ending the fighting of World War I on the Western Front. The ceasefire began at 11 a.m. Paris time—the famous "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month"—after more than four years of conflict. 

• 5 a.m. Signing. Inside a private railway car parked in the Forest of Compiègne in northern France, German delegates led by Matthias Erzberger signed the ceasefire agreement. Allied Supreme Commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch dictated the terms. 
• The Six-Hour Gap. Rather than stopping the war immediately, commanders set the ceasefire for 11 a.m. so word could reach troops across the front lines. Because several Allied generals pushed final offensives to gain ground before the deadline, nearly 11,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing during those final six hours. 
• 10:59 a.m. Final Casualty. American Private Henry Gunther was killed while charging a German machine-gun nest just 60 seconds before the ceasefire took effect. He is widely recognized as the last soldier killed in World War I. 
• 11 a.m. Guns Fall Silent. Fighting officially halted along the Western Front. News spread quickly, sparking massive street celebrations in cities like Paris, London, and New York, alongside quiet mourning at the front. 

Although an armistice is technically a temporary ceasefire rather than a formal peace treaty, the Imperial War Museums notes that the terms effectively ended Germany's ability to continue fighting: 

• Immediate Withdrawal. German forces had to evacuate all occupied territories in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Alsace-Lorraine within 15 days, and pull back behind the Rhine River.
• Disarmament. Germany surrendered massive amounts of military equipment, including 5,000 artillery pieces, 25,000 machine guns, 1,700 airplanes, and its entire submarine fleet.
• Prisoners and Blockade. All Allied prisoners of war were released immediately, while the Allies maintained their naval blockade of Germany until a permanent peace treaty was signed. 

Historical Legacy

• Official Peace. The war did not legally end until June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
• Modern Holidays. In 1919, nations began observing Nov. 11 as Armistice Day. Today, the date is commemorated globally as Remembrance Day in Commonwealth nations and as Veterans Day in the United States. 

Happy Veterans Day!