Last year, The Jacksonville Bar sponsored its first Patriot Day luncheon in November.
Why, you might ask, was our Patriot Day luncheon held in November when "Patriot Day" is observed on Sept. 11 of each year? Frankly, I am not sure; ask Ray Driver.
However, as many of you may recall, our first Patriot Day luncheon was actually held on Nov. 11, 2012: Veterans Day.
I suspect if you ask Ray about his date selection, he would point to the historic recognition of servicemen and women on Nov. 11.
So why is Veterans Day observed on Nov. 11?
While World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the execution of the Treaty of Versailles, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month.
In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the anniversary of this date the first "Armistice Day."
He stated, "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."
In 1954, after World War II, Congress amended the legislation creating Armistice Day to recognize veterans of all wars; hence, Veterans Day. Although for a short time the holiday was observed on a designated Monday in late October or early November, because of the historical significance of Nov. 11 and the traditions built around this date, in 1975 President Gerald Ford signed legislation that returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to Nov. 11 of each year.
For those Americans who lived through World War I, Nov. 11 was a momentous anniversary and the only appropriate date to celebrate Veterans Day.
Similarly, no one today (other than Ray) could forget that Patriot Day is celebrated on the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001; the day of this generation where everyone recalls exactly what he or she was doing when they learned of the attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
In retrospect, I am sure Ray was recalling the historical significance of Veterans Day when he scheduled The JBA's Patriot luncheon last year. Unfortunately, he forgot about the Downtown parade and the logistical challenges it would create for the luncheon.
With last year's experience as our guide, The JBA will again be holding its Patriot Day luncheon celebration in November (maybe next year Troy Smith will move the event to September); however, in an effort to avoid conflicts with the Veterans Day celebration, the luncheon will be held on Nov. 21.
Our Patriot luncheon is intended to recognize and celebrate not only our veterans, but all members of our armed services, whether having served during wartime or not, our police and fireman and other civil servants who work daily to ensure our safety and way of life.
As such, please plan to join us at noon, on Nov. 21, at the Omni Hotel for this memorable event.