Decatur's Veterans Day celebration kicks off with parade, school assembly

DECATUR -- On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, an armistice was signed ending what would be known as "The Great War." More than 38 million civilians and military personnel were killed during World War I.

So that those who gave their lives in this bloody conflict would never be forgotten, President Woodrow Wilson wrote a proclamation marking Nov. 11, 1919, the first Armistice Day. By act of Congress in 1938, Armistice Day became a legal holiday.

Sixteen years later, on Oct. 8, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower issued a proclamation that amended the original 1938 Congressional Act changing the name to "Veterans Day."

In the proclamation, Eisenhower wrote: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose" (U.S. Office of Veterans Affairs).

This November, the city of Decatur, Decatur Veterans Committee, and the Decatur Public Schools will host two events to commemorate Veterans Day.

On Nov. 5, the first annual Veterans Day Parade will take place at 10 a.m. Lineup for the parade will begin at 9 a.m. at the car wash on Third St., just south of the Decatur depot. This year's parade route will run from Third St. down Main St. to Veterans Park. The theme for this event is: "Honoring Those Who Served."

The celebration will continue at Veterans Park, with free refreshments and live entertainment.

The Veterans Committee invites all military veterans to participate in this parade. Anyone wishing to be part of this annual event should contact Rob Hopkins at 752-7201 or rhopkins721@gmail.

A Veterans Day assembly will be held at Peterson Gym at Decatur High School on Nov. 11 at 10 a.m.

Military veterans from all branches of the service will be honored by the Decatur School District during this time. The Decatur High School band and the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College at Miami, Okla., will perform several patriotic and military service songs during the event.

For more information about the Veterans Day assembly at Decatur High School, call 752-3983 or go online at decatursd.com.

General News on 10/26/2016