DEADWOOD BLOG

This Friday, November 11th, 2005 is Veterans Day

Veterans Day (originally Armistice Day) began on November 11th, 1918 at the end of World War I. According to the VA, the major hostilities of WWI ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11 month.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson used the following words to remember the first Armistice Day: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."

After World War II, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 which formally changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day in order to honor all American military personnel who served in war. As we observe those who have died in service on Memorial Day, Veterans Day has become a time of honoring living veterans who have served in both wartime or peacetime.  The US Census Bureau estimates there are 24.5 million military veterans in the United States today.

We have a handful of those 24.5 million at Deadwood, and we encourage all our fellow background players to make an effort to thank them this Friday on Veterans Day. 

STEPHEN WEISBAUM, US NAVY
STEVEN JESSE WILLS, US AIR FORCE
JESSE MENDOZA, US ARMY & 20 years DOD
THOMAS STIVER, US AIR FORCE
STEPHEN SAXTON, US NAVY
CARL VIRDEN, US ARMY
MIKE DIXON, US NAVY
JOHN STAPP, US ARMY
JIM LaFOLLETTE, US NAVY
SAM NEELY, US AIR FORCE
DENNIS LaFOLLETTE, US AIR FORCE
and a friend we see every day in makeup
RICK WETZEL, US NAVY

Unfortunately, we are sure that we've missed a few veterans above who work on the show--an apology is sincerely offered. If you're one of them, we thank you for your service to the country!