Veterans Day event to be held at La Feria Veterans Memorial

Updated: November 9, 2020

By CAYETANO GARZA JR.
LFN

Attendees at last years La Feria Memorial Day observance. Unlike that event this year will be a bit different because of restrictions brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with participants asked to please wear masks and observe social distance protocols. Photo: LFN archive photo

The La Feria Veterans Memorial Committee will once again hold their annual Veteran’s Day observance on November 11th this year, however much like many other events admidst the global pandemic there will be protocols in place to ensure the safety of participants.

The event is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11th from 9am to 12pm at the La Feria Veterans Memorial located on the corner of Business 83 and Main Street in La Feria. There will be music and refreshments until noon. The guest speaker for the event will be veteran Alfonso Guillen.

Safety protocols are to be strictly observed and the committee is asking all participants and attendees to wear masks and observe social distancing while attending the event.

The event will be livestreamed on the La Feria Veterans Memorial Monument Project Facebook community page on the day of the event for those that would like to attend virtually.

Veterans Day began at the end of World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – which officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926.

An Act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.” Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting in its place the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. Later that same year, on October 8th, President Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation.

Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.

Eleven more benches have been installed at the La Feria Veterans Memorial site however the committee cannot accept any more orders for benches because the site is now at capacity. There have also been more pavers added to the memorial site and there is still room for more. If you are interested in adding a paver to honor your veteran to the site please contact the La Feria Veterans Memorial Monument Project by phone (956) 202-2700 or emai [email protected].

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