Veterans Day Flash Cards

What day and time is Veterans Day observed every year?

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, continuing the Armistice Day tradition from November 11, 1918.

Who changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day, and in what year?

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in 1954, officially renamed Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.

What war did Armistice Day originally commemorate?

World War I, honoring those who died.

What annual ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day?

The President or the President’s designee lays a remembrance wreath and delivers an address at Arlington National Cemetery's Memorial Amphitheater.

When and where did Eisenhower give his emotional speech about sacrifice?

At an 82nd Airborne Division luncheon in Chicago in July 1952.

What key WWII operation did Eisenhower command?

The Normandy landings (D-Day) as the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, leading to the liberation of northwestern Europe.

Why did Eisenhower pause during his 1952 speech?

He said he was “frightened” of breaking down while reflecting on soldiers’ sacrifices.

Who designed the first Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington, and in what year?

U.S. Army Quartermaster Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs in 1873.

How fast was the original amphitheater constructed?

In less than one month, completed in time for Memorial Day 1873.

What architectural features did the original amphitheater include?

1. Ellipse-shaped brick pergola

2. Sunken grass bowl

3. 12 Ionic columns forming a rostrum

4. Young plantings (grapes, wisteria) to cover the pergola

When was the amphitheater renamed the James R. Tanner Memorial Amphitheater?

May 30, 2014, during Arlington Cemetery’s 150th Anniversary.

Who was James R. Tanner?

1. Civil War veteran, 87th NY Volunteer Infantry

2. Lost both legs at the Second Battle of Bull Run (1862)

3. Stenographer for Abraham Lincoln

4. Commissioner of Pensions & Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic

5. Buried a few yards from the amphitheater

When was the Tanner Amphitheater restored, and what colors were added?

2015–2019 restoration. Rostrum base & ambulatory piers → yellow Ionic column capitals & bases → metallic bronze

Why was a new amphitheater built in the early 1900s?

The U.S. had become a world power, requiring a more grand, monumental structure to reflect modern ideas of honor.

Who designed the Memorial Amphitheater?

Thomas Hastings of Carrère & Hastings, completed 1920.

When was the cornerstone of the Memorial Amphitheater laid, and by whom?

October 13, 1915, by President Woodrow Wilson.

What items were included in the time capsule placed in the cornerstone?

1. The American flag

2. Copies of the Bible

3. U.S. currency and 1915 postage stamps

4. Declaration of Independence

5. U.S. Constitution

6. L’Enfant’s map for Washington, D.C.

7. Architectural plans of the amphitheater

What battles are inscribed on the marble frieze of the Memorial Amphitheater?

44 battles, from the Revolutionary War through the Spanish–American War.

How many generals and admirals are inscribed, and where?

14 U.S. Army generals and 14 U.S. Navy admirals, carved on each side of the stage.

Translate the Latin inscription “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.”

“It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.”

What quotes appear in the amphitheater?

1. George Washington (1775): “When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen.”

2. Abraham Lincoln (Gettysburg Address, 1863): “That these dead shall not have died in vain.”

When was the Unknown Soldier of WWI interred in the U.S.?

November 11, 1921.

Which nations created Unknown Soldier memorials before the U.S.?

England (Westminster Abbey) and France (Arc de Triomphe) in 1920.

What wars are represented by the crypts at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

1. World War I (beneath sarcophagus)

2. World War II

3. Korean War

4. Vietnam War (crypt now empty after identification in 1998)

Who designed the marble sarcophagus, and from what marble?

1. Designers: Architect Lorimer Rich & Sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones

2. Marble: Colorado Yule marble

3. Height: 11 ft

4. Width: 9 ft

Who carved the sarcophagus and relief sculptures?

1. Piccirilli Brothers carved Doric pilasters and rough panels

2. Hudson Jones completed carvings onsite, including wreaths and figures of peace, valor, and victory

What is the inscription on the Tomb?

“Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier Known but to God.”

When was the sarcophagus unveiled?

April 9, 1932, without ceremony.

When did the U.S. begin guarding the Tomb continuously?

1937 — 24/7, 365-day vigil began.

What regiment guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard.”

Describe the Sentinel’s 21-step routine and what “21” symbolizes.

1. 21 steps down the mat

2. 21-second pause facing east

3. 21-second pause facing north

4. Repeat
   21 = the 21-gun salute, highest military honor.

What key lines come from the Sentinel’s Creed?

“I will walk my tour in humble reverence… Surrounded by well-meaning crowds by day, alone in the thoughtful peace of night… This soldier will in honored glory rest under my eternal vigilance.”

Define rostrum.

A raised platform used for speeches.

Define pergola.

An outdoor structure made of vertical columns and horizontal beams, usually providing shade.

Define colonnade.

A row of columns supporting a roof.

Define ambulatory.

A round walkway or path for moving around a structure.

Define apse.

A semi-circular recess in a building (often behind a stage or altar).

Define Beaux-Arts.

An ornate, grand architectural style with classical influence.

Define Neoclassical.

A style inspired by Ancient Greece and Rome, emphasizing order and symmetry.

What is the training and selection process for Tomb Sentinels known for?

It is considered among the hardest ceremonial duties, requiring months of discipline, precision, and knowledge of U.S. military history.

What weather stops the guards from walking their tour?

None — Sentinels walk through rain, snow, hurricanes, extreme heat, and freezing cold.