Veterans Day at the Silent Wings Museum

Additional Information

The Silent Wings Museum will commemorate our country’s veterans on Veterans Day, Friday, November 11th. All visitors will be welcomed with free admission to the museum and activities throughout the day. The museum opens its doors at 10:00 a.m. The event is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. with the presentation of the colors by the Lubbock Fire Department Honor Guard, followed by the Veterans Day Presidential Proclamation read by The Honorable Mayor Tom Martin.

The afternoon presentations begin at 1:00 p.m., with the Silent Wings Museum Curator, Don Abbe PhD., opening The Creative Side of War exhibition. At 2:00 p.m. John McCullough will host a gallery talk entitled Putt Putt Air Force. The Salvation Army will follow with Soldiers Serving Soldiers by Captain Morton, Corps Officer of Salvation Army of Lubbock. At 5:30 p.m. the evening reception is scheduled to begin, light hor d’oeuvres will be served, preceding Dr. Gary Best, Professor Emeritus in the Charter College of Education at California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Best will speak on Remembering - a Tribute to Those Who Have Preserved and Protected our Freedom. The evening will close with the Jazz Alley ensemble performing World War II-Era big band music.

Veterans Day became a national holiday on June 1, 1954 after Congress approved an amendment to the Act of 1938. Veterans Day officially replaced Armistice Day, which honored the veterans of World War I. Armistice Day was celebrated on November the 11th to commemorate the signing of the armistice that ceased the hostilities of World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of November 1918. The holiday was originally intended to be a day of parades and public meetings with all businesses to briefly cease operations at 11 a.m. With the approval of Public Law 380 in 1954 November 11th became a day to honor all American veterans of all wars.

November 11th 2011:

10 a.m.: Doors open, free admission, coffee & donut breakfast provided by the Salvation Army
11 a.m.: Opening Ceremony; presentation of the colors by the Lubbock Fire Department Honor Guard, The Honorable Mayor Tom Martin speaks, and music by area students.
12 p.m.: Lunch provided by American Red Cross
1 p.m.: The Creative Side of War
2 p.m.: Putt Putt Air Force
3 p.m.: Soldiers Serving Soldiers
5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Evening Reception begins, Special Guest Speaker Dr. Gary Best, Live Swing Music by Jazz Alley & Light Hors D’oeuvres