Honoring veterans

Ever since the signing -- at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month -- of the armistice that ended World War I, Nov. 11 has held a special place in our calendar of national celebrations. President Woodrow Wilson declared Nov. 11, 1919, to be a special day of remembrance for all veterans of the just-ended world conflict, and the celebration spread from coast to coast.

The Nov. 11 holiday, called Armistice Day, marked the World War I treaty until the 1950s, when a group in Emporia, Kan., began an effort to expand the holiday to include veterans of all U.S. wars. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's signature made Veterans Day the national holiday we observe today.

You can join the celebration by making an effort to thank the veterans you know and offering a prayer for the sacrifices our men and women in military uniforms have made for their nation.

Elsewhere on this page are tributes to veterans that remind us of the great price of liberty and freedom. Let us never forget those who paid so dearly.