Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto urges residents to remember our veterans on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11.

"Throughout the history of our country, courageous men and women have served in the Armed Forces to secure, defend and maintain the freedoms upon which our nation was founded," Venditto stated. "Today, there are more than 25 million living veterans who served our nation in times of peace and war. They come from all walks of life, religions and ethnic backgrounds. And right now, there are men and women putting their lives on the line in the war against terrorism. The debt we owe our veterans is one that is all but impossible to repay, which is why it is so important that we honor our veterans and salute their service on Veterans Day."

The supervisor went on to say that the evolution of Veterans Day began in 1918 at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. At that precise moment, World War I...the "war to end all wars"...came to a close. In 1919, November 11 was celebrated as Armistice Day in the United States to mark the first anniversary of the signing of the Armistice. Armistice Day officially received its name through a Congressional resolution in 1926, and, in 1938, it became a legal holiday by an act of Congress. November 11 continued to be observed as Armistice Day until 1954 when, at the urging of veterans' organizations, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an act of Congress formally changing the name to Veterans Day "in order to expand the significance of that (Armistice Day) celebration and in order that a grateful nation might pay appropriate homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed so much to the preservation of this nation..." In 1968, Congress moved Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in November, but returned it to its traditional date in 1978 after heavy lobbying by veterans groups and concerned citizens, who believed that moving the observance to create a three-day holiday only served to take the focus off the historical significance of the day.

"On Veterans Day, let us remember that freedom comes at a cost and that our veterans helped pay the price," Venditto stated. "There are few veterans of World War I surviving, and the ranks of World War II and Korean War veterans are rapidly thinning. For their sakes, and for the veterans of Vietnam, Desert Storm, unnamed conflicts and peace-keeping missions, and for those now serving in our Armed Forces here and abroad, including those engaged in Operation Enduring Freedom, let us remember those who gave up a part of their lives so we could live ours in freedom. Let us reflect on the true meaning of Veterans Day and not let it be obscured by vapid commercialism and holiday sales."