History: Every Fourth Monday of every October

Spectators and veterans hold up "Thank You" signs during the 2012 Fayetteville Veterans Day parade, Nov. 10, in Fayetteville, N.C. The annual parade featured U.S. Army Reserve Command Soldiers and service members and equipment from the 18th Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, high school bands, decorated floats, veteran's organizations and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps marching units.

For some inexplicable reason, the bill set Veterans Day commemorations for the fourth Monday of every October.

On Oct. 25, 1971, the first Veterans Day under this new bill was held. We’re not sure why it took three years to implement, but not surprisingly, there was a lot of confusion about the change, and many states were unhappy, choosing to continue to recognize the day as they previously had — in November.

Spectators and veterans hold up “Thank You” signs during the 2012 Fayetteville Veterans Day parade, Nov. 10, in Fayetteville, N.C. The annual parade featured U.S. Army Reserve Command Soldiers and service members and equipment from the 18th Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, high school bands, decorated floats, veteran’s organizations and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps marching units.

Within a few years, it became pretty apparent that most U.S. citizens wanted to celebrate Veterans Day on Nov. 11, since it was a matter of historic and patriotic significance. So on Sept. 20, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed another law (Public Law 94-97), which returned the annual observance to its original date starting in 1978.

Source: History.com

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