Veterans Day In Manchester: Town, School Ceremonies To Honor Vets

MANCHESTER, NJ — The post office and most banks will be closed in Manchester on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

Municipal offices in Manchester and Lakehurst will be closed Wednesday, but town officials will take time to honor local military veterans for their service.

Manchester Township's Veterans Day ceremony is set for 11 a.m. Thursday at Manchester's Town Hall at 1 Colonial Drive.

In addition to the 11 a.m. service, Manchester Township High School will hold its 17th annual Veterans Recognition Ceremony. That event is set for 2 p.m. in the auditorium at the high school, 101 Hawks Way, Manchester. The public is invited to attend.

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.

While some ceremonies, parades and services may be canceled or altered as the coronavirus pandemic continues, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active-military members.

Applebee’s, Bob Evans and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

Other places, such as Golden Corral and Eat'n Park, have offers extended throughout November.

Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States.