The adverb "when" in the query points to a specific point in time, and the establishment of this holiday involved two key legislative acts. The date of November 11th first became a national, legal holiday on May 13, 1938, when an Act of Congress designated it as "Armistice Day." However, the proper noun "Veterans Day" officially replaced that name on June 1, 1954, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed new legislation to honor veterans of all U.S. wars.
The holiday's evolution began with the armistice ending World War I on November 11, 1918. Following a 1926 Congressional resolution for annual observance, the 1938 Act codified Armistice Day as a federal holiday dedicated to world peace. After World War II and the Korean War, it became clear that the day should honor the nation's entire veteran population. This led to the 1954 law that amended the 1938 Act by striking the word "Armistice" and inserting "Veterans." A separate legislative action, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, temporarily moved the observance to the fourth Monday in October beginning in 1971, which caused widespread confusion.
Due to the historical significance of the November 11th date, the temporary change was unpopular. In response, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 in 1975, which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, effective in 1978. This final act solidified the holiday's date, ensuring its connection to the historical event it first commemorated while honoring the service of all American military veterans.
