A Veterans Day event is scheduled at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery to pay tribute to American veterans.
Location: Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery Date and Time: November 11, 2023, at 11 a.m.
The Texas National Cemetery Foundation is collaborating with the cemetery for the event. Notable inclusions are a keynote address by U.S. Marine Corps Major General Craig Timberlake, a performance by the Midlothian High School Choir, the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base’s Color Guard, a flyover by the Marine Aviation Group 41, and a rifle salute by Marine Aircraft Group 41.
“We encourage everyone to join us on November 11 to honor and give thanks to our nation’s heroes,” said Larry Williams, Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery director. “As Winston Churchill said, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few.”
The event is set in the 638-acre Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery, established in 2000, and now the resting place for approximately 85,000 interred Veterans and their dependents.
The ceremony is scheduled to commence on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. at the cemetery, located at 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway in Dallas. Guests are advised to arrive beforehand and to bring lawn chairs for seating.
The History of Veterans Day
In 1921, Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., became the final resting place for an anonymous American soldier from World War I. Overlooking the Potomac River, this hallowed ground symbolizes the nation’s deep respect for its veterans.
This act followed similar commemorations in England and France, where unknown soldiers were laid to rest in revered spots within each country. These ceremonies all occurred on November 11, marking the historic end of World War I at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918, and henceforth known as “Armistice Day.”
The first “Veterans Day” celebration occurred in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1947, aligning with Armistice Day. Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, initiated “National Veterans Day” with a parade and festivities to honor all veterans. This led U.S. Representative Edward Rees of Kansas to propose a bill to rename Armistice Day as Veterans Day. In 1954, this bill was enacted by Congress and signed into law by President Eisenhower, officially designating November 11 as Veterans Day.
By 2000, the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery in Texas, spanning 638 acres, was established. Since opening, it has conducted about 85,000 interments, offering a dignified resting place for veterans and their eligible family members.
