Saturday is Veterans Day.The holiday originally was...

Saturday is Veterans Day.

The holiday originally was called Armistice Day because it commemorated the end of World War I--an armistice ended those hostilities at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. To also honor all those who performed their military duty during World War II and the Korean War, the holiday’s name was changed in 1954. But our nation’s primary observance of Veterans Day still occurs each year at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at the the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

* In 1921, the remains of an unknown American soldier killed in World War I were exhumed from a cemetery in France, transported to the United States and reinterred at the newly created Tomb of the Unknowns. In 1956, two more unknowns--from World War II and the Korean War--were interred there beside their World War I comrade.

An unknown from the Vietnam War was interred May 28, 1984. But the remains of the Vietnam unknown were exhumed in 1998 and, on the basis of mitochondrial DNA testing, identified as Air Force Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, who was shot down over Vietnam in 1972. It has since been decided that the Vietnam unknown crypt will remain vacant because advances in DNA testing are expected to eventually identify the remains of the approximately 2,000 Vietnam unknowns.

* Groundbreaking festivities for the National World War II Memorial will take place in Washington at 11 a.m. Saturday. An official ceremony, which will include President Clinton, former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, actor Tom Hanks and others, will begin at 1 p.m.

* The city of Burbank will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. today at McCambridge Park War Memorial, at Amherst Drive and San Fernando Road. The event will include a special remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, a flyover by the Condor Squadron, a performance by the Lockheed Concert Band and speeches by local politicos. Call (818) 238-5390 for more information.