Veterans Day In Castro Valley: How To Honor Military Personnel

CASTRO VALLEY, CA — The post office and most banks will be closed in Castro Valley on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

In Castro Valley, a ceremony honoring veterans begins at 11 a.m. at the Castro Valley Veterans Memorial, 3567 Quail Ave. The program will include Military Honors.

The East Bay Regional Park District will honor active and retired military members on Veterans Day with free parking and park entry at all regional parks. Castro Valley area parks include:

• Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area
• Don Castro Regional Recreation Area
• Five Canyons Open Space
• Lake Chabot Regional Park

Veterans Day, commemorated annually on Nov. 11, was first celebrated in 1919 to honor those who fought in World War I. It was initially called Armistice Day and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

The holiday’s origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly following the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II, after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

Restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active-military members.

• Where Vets & Military Can Eat Free On Veterans Day 2021