Veterans Day 2021

Veterans Day is observed every year on November 11 and is a way to thank and honor our nation’s Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice. 

This holiday started as a day to reflect upon those who died in our country's service and was originally called Armistice Day, falling on November 11 in recognition of the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. In 1954, the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" in order to honor all our Veterans for their willingness to serve and sacrifice.

The theme for Veterans Day 2021 is centered on the centennial commemoration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which was initially dedicated by the Army on Armistice Day, November 11, 1921, with the burial of an unknown service member from World War I. Over the past century, additional men and women have been buried at the Tomb, and the site has become a memorial for reflection on service, sacrifice and mourning. This year’s Veterans Day poster competition asked artists to envision a design that evokes the meaning of the Tomb. The winning artist, Matt Tavares of Maine, drawing is shown here. 

We would like to ask for your help in reaching out to the Veterans and their families in our community to thank them for their service.

You are also invited to become involved with a Town project to create a memorial to honor all Veterans and can read more here.

Highlighted Resources

• The US Department of Veterans Affairs has created a resource for those looking to engage younger members of our family and community and can be found here.
• Veterans’ mental health is important and there are a broad range of resources available to help private and public employers, family and friends to identify mental health conditions common to veterans, including post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief. These resources are geared to assist Veterans who exhibit such signs and symptoms in the workplace and in the home. To learn more about the local, state and national resources available please reach out to Stonington Human Services or visit this state resource page found here.

• In January of 2017, the Stonington Historical Society joined with the La Grua Center and the Connecticut State Library in capturing the letters, photographs, and memorabilia relating to World War I held in the private collections of local residents. This effort was part of a larger state-wide effort led by the Connecticut State Library, but also created a digital database of images to be held in the Historical Society’s local archive. More than a dozen families brought their precious family archives to the R. W. Woolworth Library and Research Center. You can watch a short video on this local effort here.