SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring November 11, 2019, as Veterans Day in the State of California.
The text of the proclamation is below:
PROCLAMATION
World War I formally ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Americans first observed Armistice Day one year later in commemoration of the heroism of those who served, and it became a national holiday in 1938.
However, the “War That Will End War” as H. G. Wells termed it was followed by World War II, then the Korean War, Vietnam War, and recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 1954, Armistice Day became Veterans Day to honor and commemorate all who served in those wars, smaller conflicts, and peacetime deployments.
Nearly 1.6 million veterans now live in California – the most of any state in the union. Today, we pay tribute to them, we thank them, and we cherish them for their selfless service to protect our freedoms. We reaffirm our commitment to honoring those who have served with the respect, care and gratitude they have earned many times over.
In the words of President Kennedy, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2019, as “Veterans Day.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 11th day of November 2019.
GAVIN NEWSOM
Governor of California
ATTEST:
ALEX PADILLA
Secretary of State
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