Veterans Day Events
If you’re a lover of all things military history and want to pay your respects to our veterans, then take in some of the Veterans Day events in D.C. These will be taking place at historic sites and memorials around the city and are not to be missed out on.
Veterans Day was first celebrated in 1919 and was presided over by Woodrow Wilson. He marked this day to praise the surviving citizens who fought in wars for the United States and it’s still a massive part of our culture to this day.
It also happens on the same day as Armistice Day, which marks the signing of the treaty between the allies and Germans that marked the end of World War I. As Washington D.C has so many memorial sites dotted around the city many of these will take this opportunity to pay a special thank you to the generations that have fought in conflicts.
Arlington Cemetery Wreath Ceremony
At 11am on this date, flowers will be laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in a touching tribute. This monument stands overlooking the city and will serve as a poignant reminder, especially on this day. After a short ceremony visitors can take a moment of silence to appreciate sacrifices made. If you can’t make it to Arlington Cemetery on this day then you can do so on many other days to learn about the history of the area. The Gray Line tour can take you to this site on the day of your choosing and kids can come along to also learn about the area. This tour is offered to active and retired US military at a 25 percent discount over this weekend, from November 13 through 16.
Vietnam War Memorial Service
This granite wall is inscribed with the names of nearly 60,000 names of Americans killed in the conflict. On this day survivors of this war will speak about their memories of the time and be appreciated by all present. They’ll also show their medals to those interested in the awards of the era and history will come to life through their experiences.
After this there will be some time of silence as those closely connected to the names on the wall will be invited to come forward for a moment of remembrance. Events at this site will begin at 9am and will continue through the day and include the traditional minute of silence.
Air Force Memorial
This more recent monument will be home to all relatives and those connected with those in the Air Force. It just opened in 2006, but commemorates all those who flew while protecting the country since the Air Force was established.
Past veterans that served within this section of the fighting forces will come forward with wreaths and be asked to speak about their story. Then the children and grandchildren of veterans will also be encouraged to talk about how the various wars impacted their lives.
These granite plumes are awe inspiring at any time but on Veterans Day the memorial aspect is much more impressed upon visitors. The ceremonies will begin here at 11am and will also include the minute of silence.