Veterans Day, a US holiday observed in Puerto Rico and the United States, originally marked the end of World War I before being redefined to honor those who have served in the country’s armed forces, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs. It was first established as Armistice Day in November 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson to commemorate soldiers killed in World War I. A law approved on May 13, 1938 made November 11 a holiday, but it was not until 1954 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day proclamation and replaced "Armistice" with "Veterans," the name by which it is now known.
On Veterans Day, both in the United States and in Puerto Rico, veterans of the various conflicts in which US armed forces personnel have taken part are commemorated. In some places tributes are held, while in others there are parades and ceremonies. According to the USA.gov website, the most important ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, a few minutes from Washington, D.C., where flowers are placed for fallen soldiers.