Vernon recognizes veterans

VERNON — After a late start to Monday night's Township Council meeting, President Jean Murphy requested Mayor Harry Shortway to read a proclamation recognizing Veterans day.
“The freedoms we enjoy as Americans have been purchased and maintained at a high price throughout our history,” Shortway read from the proclamation. “Since the establishment of the original 13 states, Americans have been willing to fight and die to preserve their individual rights as guaranteed in the United States constitution and the Bill of Rights.”
Veterans Day officially falls on Sunday, Nov. 11, and is to be observed on Monday, Nov. 12
Vernon Municipal offices will be closed to observe Veterans day on Nov. 12th.
Vernon Schools will be open on Nov. 12, but will close on the preceding Thursday and Friday, Nov. 8 and 9, respectively, for the New Jersey Education Association teachers convention in Atlantic City.
Shortway presented the proclamation to Thomas Gundlach of the Wallkill Valley Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post 8441. Gundlach, who served in Korea from 1965-66, accepted the proclamation on behalf of all Vernon Valley veterans.
Veterans Day officially began in 1919 as Armistice day, a day to mark the official end of what was then known as The War to End All Wars, or The Great War, World War I.
On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month of 1918, an Armistice with Germany went into effect to mark the end of any major hostilities of World War I.
On the first Armistice day, November 11th, 1919, then President Woodrow Wilson issued a message to Americans, “A year ago today our enemies laid down their arms in accordance with an armistice which rendered them impotent to renew hostilities, and gave the world an assured opportunity to reconstruct its shattered order and to work out in peace a new and juster set of international relations. The soldiers and people of the European Allies had fought and endured for more than four years to uphold the barrier of civilization against the aggressions of armed force.”
Armistice Day was made in official holiday in 1938.
While many nations still celebrate Armistice day (sometimes known as Remembrance Day), in America, the holiday was officially renamed veterans day in 1954 to recognize the veterans of all wars.
The 18th Annual Salute to Miltiary Veterans event will be held on November 4th, at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta. The event is being sponsored by the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Sussex County Division of Senior Services, and the Veterans Committee.
A parade is scheduled to be held, as well as a 21-gun salute.