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Honoring Our Veterans

On Veterans Day, the Defense Department salutes those who have served and sacrificed for America’s freedom.

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Robert Wilkie, secretary of Veterans Affairs, lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a Presidential Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Nov. 11, 2020. The ceremony is held in recognition and commemoration of the veterans who have served in the U.S. uniformed services.
Veterans Day Observance Arlington National Cemetery
10:32
Veterans Day Observance Arlington National Cemetery
Instead of simply saying "Happy Veterans Day," some military members take a different tack this year. Members of the five branches say the various things said in reply all year long when the public says "thank you for your service." Video by Master Sgt. Carl Clegg
A Veterans Day Message
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A Veterans Day Message
Jack Eaton, a 100-year-old, WW II veteran who served as a tomb guard from 1938-1940, visits the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. Video by Marine Corps Sgt. Dylan Overbay, DOD
100-Year-Old Sentinel Visits Pentagon
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100-Year-Old Sentinel Visits Pentagon
A parade in Maastricht, Netherlands, honored U.S. World World II veterans, Sept. 14, 2019. Soldiers assigned to the Army's 30th Infantry Division helped liberate the city in 1944. Four men who served in the division traveled to the Netherlands with the North Carolina National Guard to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Limburg province; Maastricht is the province’s capital. The NCNG’s 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team traces its lineage to the 30th Infantry Division and guardsmen’s uniforms still bear the same unit patch. Veterans John O'Hare and Tony Jaber talk about their experience in 1944 and the welcome they received 75 years later.
Netherlands Parade Honors WWII Vets
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Netherlands Parade Honors WWII Vets
An event at the National World War II Memorial in Washington commemorates the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Paris, Aug. 29, 2019.
75th Anniversary of Liberation of Paris
1:12:17
75th Anniversary of Liberation of Paris
Retired Air Force Col. Arnald D. Gabriel is a legendary Air Force band conductor who began his military career as a young Army soldier storming the beaches of Normandy, France, on D-Day, June 6, 1944. In this video, Gabriel conducts the U.S. Air Force Band as it performs John Williams' "Hymn to the Fallen," a composition that was featured in the 1998 film “Saving Private Ryan.” The video includes excerpts of a 2006 interview in which Gabriel talks about how he endured great loss through the horrors of World War II and ultimately fulfilled his destiny to serve as an international ambassador for the Air Force. Video by Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Hoffmann
From D-Day To Destiny
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From D-Day To Destiny
U.S. Army Rangers assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment climb the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc in Cricqueville en Bessin, France, June 4, 2019. Rangers scaled the cliff to honor the 135 men killed or wounded from the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions while capturing and holding Pointe du Hoc. More than 1,300 U.S. service members, partnered with 950 troops from across Europe and Canada, converged in northwestern France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Operation Overlord, the World War II Allied invasion of Normandy, commonly known as D-Day. Video by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Baldock, AFN Europe
Rangers Climb Pointe du Hoc 75 Years Later
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Rangers Climb Pointe du Hoc 75 Years Later

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Quiz

Soldiers in uniform and members of the public carry a huge American flag at shoulder-height in a parade on the streets of New York City. Vietnam veterans are in the background.

Quiz: Test Your Veterans Day Knowledge

What holiday do most Americans confuse with Veterans Day? Why is Veterans Day on Nov. 11? Test your knowledge — from World War I to today — to see how much you know about Veterans Day.

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