Today is Veterans Day, a holiday to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
The Riverhead Combined Veterans Committee will hold ceremonies to commemorate Veterans Day at 11 a.m. at the World War Memorial at the corner of Court Street and West Main Street.
Calverton National Cemetery Support Committee will host a public Veterans Day ceremony at the national cemetery at 1 p.m. today, after a hiatus last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be scaled back, but will include a short program consisting of a performance of the National Anthem, Color Guard presentation of colors, and a specially invited speaker who will deliver brief remarks. COVID-19 protection protocols, including social distancing and face masks if unvaccinated, will be observed. The program is expected to last about 30 minutes. Participants who would rather not stand for that duration are welcome to bring their own folding chairs or other portable seating.
Check back later for coverage of today’s ceremonies.
History of the holiday
Veterans Day, known as Armistice Day until 1954, commemorates the end of World War I, which formally came with the German signing of the Armistice at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in the year 1918.
The date was first observed as a national holiday one year later, when President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation setting aside the day as a national day of reflection on the “heroism of those who died in the country’s service” and for “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.”
Nov. 11 was made a legal holiday by an act of Congress in 1938, which proclaimed it “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace.”
Veterans Day closings and schedules
Riverhead schools, town, county, state and federal government offices and courts are closed today.
The post office is closed and there will be no mail delivery other than Express Mail and Special Delivery.
Banks are closed today but financial markets are open.
Riverhead Town municipal trash pickup follows its regular schedule today.
Riverhead Free Library is closed today.
Suffolk County Transit buses and the LIRR follow a regular weekday schedule today.
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