On November 11, 1985 at Arlington National Cemetery, President Ronald Wilson Reagan reflected on the history and meaning of Veterans Day:
“We celebrate Veterans Day on the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, the armistice that began on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. And I wonder, in fact, if all Americans’ prayers aren’t the same as those I mentioned a moment ago. The timing of this holiday is quite deliberate in terms of historical fact but somehow it always seems quite fitting to me that this day comes deep in autumn when the colors are muted and the days seem to invite contemplation.”
WATCH REAGAN’S ENTIRE VETERANS DAY ADDRESS: