Veteran's Day

Sunday, November 11 is the 100^th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice which ended World War I. The agreement between the Allies and Germany included a cessation of all fighting at 11 o'clock on November 11, a withdrawal of German forces from occupied areas, a surrender of equipment and a return of prisoners. Similar agreements had already been signed by Germany's allies – Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Austrian empire. The Armistice was renewed three times while the parties negotiated the peace treaty signed on June 28, 1919. 

In November of 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as “Armistice Day”  to be commemorated with parades, public meetings and a brief moment of reflection at 11 am. In 1926, Congress passed a resolution calling for an annual time of “thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designated to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations.” They made it a national legal holiday in 1938.

Over time, the focus changed from celebrating peace to honoring those who served.  In 1954, the holiday was renamed Veterans Day to recognize all veterans, not just those from World War I.

 
Alice May Wyatt Henderson and Sarah Hammer made this banner in 1918 to honor those from Philomath who served in World War I:  Enos Loggan Keezel, Ward Haines, Alonzo Miller, Donald Clark, Ralph Green, Clarence Green, Ayne Baldwin, Weir Baldwin, Harrison Wallace, Charles Stovall, Roy Willoughby, Frank Becker, Harry Felher, L. Elmer Lemaster, Rufus Lemaster, Hugh Kellog, Charles Smith. The gold star by Ralph Green's name indicates that he died during the war.

A program from September 15, 1918, lists men from the Alpine area serving in the military. Some were part of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe, some were in the navy and others were in camps in the United States. Names include Merle G. Howard, Frank Barker, Raymond Reeves, Clarence S. Webber, William J. Confer, Frank Williams, Fulton Wooldridge, Raleigh Taylor, Ben A. Roth, Leroy McCallum, William F. Tompkins, Carl A. Harlan, T. S. Stoddard,William Seymour. Herman Anderson, Bliss Byers, Harry Straub, Andrew George Ancey, Clarence Flowers, John S. McCloskey, James William Peek, Albert J. Ruiz, Fred Calahan, Roy Eachus, Guy Thorne, J. G. Paull, Alexander Skinner, Charles Farris, William F. Dunaven.