Bells across the globe are tolling again today, 100 years after the signing of the Armistice and the end of World War I. On all US Navy and Marine ships and installations, at landmarks around the country, and from the towers of churches, bells were to ring at 11 a.m. local time to honor those who sacrificed their lives to preserve freedom.

Locally, those who served in past wars and military conflicts were honored Saturday at the Veterans Memorial on the Mill Pond in downtown Brighton. Preceding the observance, a Veterans Day parade with color guard proceeded down Main Street, ending at the memorial for solemn ceremonies honoring US veterans, both living and dead. Despite cold and blustery weather, about 150 people attended the parade and related activities, many seated in the brand-new amphitheater next to the Veterans Memorial.

Steve Conaway, chairman of the Brighton Veterans Memorial Committee, tells WHMI the event went well, despite a blustery day with temperatures in the mid-twenties, resulting in a wind chill in the single digits.

Although local Veterans Day ceremonies were held Saturday, today, Sunday, is actually Veterans Day, a US legal holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars. In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I, which became known as “The war to end all wars.” Observed in many countries as Armistice Day the following year, November 11th became a federal holiday in the US in 1938. After World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became known as Veterans Day. (TT)