Across the Chattanooga area, schools, clubs and governments will hold services today and throughout the weekend to honor military veterans.
Chattanooga National Cemetery Director Paul Martin said the cemetery stays busy year round, but workers take a few extra steps for the holiday.
"For Veterans Day, we put out the avenue of flags around the cemetery and raise the state flags," Mr. Martin said.
The Chattanooga Area Veterans Council is sponsoring a service at the cemetery today, and music begins at 10:30 a.m., Mr. Martin said. Retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Noah Long is the guest speaker for the event.
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution marking the day for national observance in 1926, and the date became a national holiday in 1938.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 that changed the name to Veterans Day to honor those who served in all American wars. The holiday now honors living veterans, and Memorial Day in May is reserved to honor deceased veterans.
In honor of Veterans Day, more than 35 local Walgreens pharmacies from Crossville, Tenn., to Chatsworth, Ga., have raised an estimated $5,000 for the Veterans Administration hospital in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Mike Tallman, a member of the Chattanooga Elks Lodge and manager of Walgreens in East Brainerd, said the stores began collecting money from patrons under the "Ten Days of Hope" fundraising program.
The money will be donated to the Elks Lodge veterans committee tonight and presented to the hospital at a later date, he said.
VETERANS DAY EVENTS
Chattanooga
What: Chattanooga Area Veterans Council-sponsored service
When: 10:30 a.m. today
Where: Chattanooga National Cemetery, 1200 Bailey Ave.
What: Chattanooga Area Veterans Council-sponsored service
When: 1:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: Chattanooga National Cemetery, 1200 Bailey Ave.
Dalton, Ga.
What: Raising of flag flown aboard USS Sterett
When: 10 a.m. today
Where: Dug Gap Elementary School, 2032 Dug Gap Road
What: Veterans Day Parade
When: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Whitfield County Courthouse
Cleveland, Tenn.
What: Leadership Class Veterans Day program
When: 1:30 p.m. today
Where: Cleveland High School, 850 Raider Drive N.W.
Ringgold, Ga.
What: Catoosa and Walker counties Veterans Day observance
When: 5 p.m. today
Where: Benton Place Campus, 264 Catoosa Circle
Todd South covers courts and the military for the Times Free Press. He has worked at the paper for three years and previously covered crime and safety in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. Todd’s hometown is Dodge City, Kan. He served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq before returning to school for his journalism degree from the University of Georgia. Todd previously worked at the Anniston (Ala.) Star. Contact Todd ...
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