Veterans Day began as something narrower: Armistice Day, marking the end of the First World War at 11 a.m. on 11 November.
How it became a day for all veterans is a genuinely odd piece of history that starts in a small town.
Armistice Day
President Wilson proclaimed the first observance, describing it as filled with solemn pride for those who died and gratitude for the victory. He had hoped the First World War would be the war that ended wars.
It was formally named Armistice Day in 1926, when Congress passed a resolution directing that the flag be flown on public buildings on 11 November and that ceremonies be held in schools and churches. In 1938 it became a federal holiday.
Then a second war
The United States entered the Second World War in 1941. It became the largest military mobilization in American history: more than 16 million Americans served, and 407,000 died — 292,000 of them in combat.
A holiday commemorating the end of one war no longer fit. The men and women returning from the second had no day of their own.
Emporia, Kansas
In 1953, the town of Emporia, Kansas, began calling the day Veterans Day in order to honour the veterans living there rather than the end of a particular war.
Veterans' organizations took up the idea and pressed Congress. A bill introduced by a Kansas legislator passed, and on 26 May 1954 President Eisenhower signed it. The holiday commemorating one armistice became a holiday for veterans of every conflict.
The date moved, then moved back
The Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 shifted several federal holidays to Mondays to create three-day weekends — partly to encourage travel and spending.
Veterans Day was among them, and the change was widely rejected. Many states and most veterans' organizations kept observing 11 November regardless, on the grounds that the date is the commemoration. President Ford signed legislation restoring it, effective from 1978.
It is a rare case of a federal holiday being moved and then moved back because the original date mattered more than the long weekend.
How it is observed
Parades and ceremonies nationwide, including the annual Veterans Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
In Washington, many people visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, whose polished black granite carries the names of more than 58,000 service members who died in that war — from the 2.7 million who served in it.
Buying stamps for Veterans Day mail
If you are writing to a veteran or a serving family member, a few practical notes.
Flag designs are the natural choice and are always in stock — the one occasion where the default stamp is also the most appropriate one.
Military addresses take standard domestic postage. APO, FPO and DPO addresses are treated as domestic, so a regular Forever stamp covers a one-ounce letter — you do not need international postage.
Send it early. Mail to military addresses takes longer than domestic delivery, and the November period is busy. If you want it to arrive for the day, post it well before.
Commemorative issues honouring military service appear periodically and, like all commemoratives, print once — so retired designs come from surplus channels rather than the official store.
Where to buy
The USPS official store for current issues, or a verified surplus channel such as Forever Stamp Center for flag coils in quantity and retired commemoratives. Background on the holiday is available via standard reference sources.
The short version
An armistice commemoration became a veterans' holiday because one Kansas town started calling it that in 1953. The date was moved to a Monday in 1968 and moved back by 1978, because 11 November is the point.
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USPS specialist based in Los Angeles with extensive experience in postal operations and customer service. Certified in mail management and trained at the USPS Business Mail Academy, she offers reliable guidance on Forever Stamps and practical mailing solutions.
