10-05-2025
Ken de la Bastide column: Don't change the name of Veterans Day
In the United States, there are two national holidays to honor veterans.
Memorial Day in May is to honor Americans who died in the defense of the country.
Veterans Day in November is to remember and honor those who have served in the military.
The two holidays are not the same.
President Donald Trump wants to change the name of the November holiday to 'Victory Day.' As you might expect, veterans organizations are opposed to the idea.
Veterans Day was initially known as Armistice Day. It was renamed in 1954.
I believe Americans have forgotten about the significance of the two holidays.
Memorial Day has become the unofficial kickoff of the summer season with people gathering for picnics and parties.
Veterans Day is overlooked in many ways. Locally, many local cemeteries place American flags on the graves of Madison County men and women who paid the supreme sacrifice.
It's hard to imagine the emotions of families who have lost loved ones through military actions involving Americans. For them, it has to be a time of remembrance and to remember a loved one's smile or laugh.
We should all take a moment on Memorial Day to remember and honor those who died while defending the country.
Veterans Day, in recent years, has seen many restaurants and businesses provide free meals or discounts to veterans for their service.
Just about every family in Madison County has a member who served in the military or died while serving.
I'm reading a book titled 'Remember Me,' which recounts the German invasion of Holland and the experiences of Americans who served in different capacities during World War II.
The one thing that stands out in the book is how the people of Holland honor the American war dead.
There is a cemetery outside a small town in Holland that contains about 10,000 graves of Americans. Since the end of World War II, area residents have organized and every American grave has been cared for.
The people of Holland have adopted each grave, making sure they are maintained and the fallen members of the military are honored.
As a veteran of the Vietnam War, it was difficult to return to the U.S. and to be criticized or ignored for serving. It took many years for Vietnam veterans to gain recognition among the majority of Americans.
Thankfully that has changed as Americans continued to fight for freedom.
Nov. 11 should remain as Veterans Day so we can honor all who have served.
