How To Honor War Heroes On Veterans Day 2020 In Gwinnett County

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Veterans Day, a federal holiday, is held yearly on Nov. 11. It honors all American veterans and military.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Gwinnett County Veterans Day celebration will be held online. The pre-recorded ceremony will premiere Wednesday at 11 a.m. and will feature a keynote speech, honor-guard activities and the raising of a flag previously displayed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

Col. Richard H. White, a Norcross native and Vietnam veteran, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s ceremony. White’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal for Valor and the Combat Infantry Badge.

The ceremony can be seen online beginning at at TVGwinnettLive.com, on Gwinnett County’s Facebook and Twitter pages @GwinnettGov, and on the county’s Vimeo page. The ceremony also will be televised beginning at 11 a.m. on TV Gwinnett, the Gwinnett's local government-access cable channel. It also will run periodically on the channel over the coming weeks and be available on-demand at TVGwinnett.com.

For more information, visit Gwinnett County's website.

HISTORY OF VETERANS DAY

Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States in war.

Originally called Armistice Day, the November holiday was created at the end of World War I to recognize those who fought in “the war to end all wars,” according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Its origin is tied to the armistice — a temporary end of hostilities — between the Allied nations and Germany signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly after the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II, after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

With some ceremonies, parades and presentations either canceled or altered in 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active military members.

Applebee’s, Bob Evans and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp. Other places, such as Golden Corral and Eat'n Park, have offers extended throughout November.