Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Honoring our Veterans is in American Samoa’s DNA and once again this year, November 11th will be observed as a national and territorial holiday. With the 11th falling this year on a Monday, it treats most American Samoans to a three-day weekend, kicking off with a Wave to honor local Veterans this morning. 

The American Samoa Government Veterans Affairs Office in partnership with the Department of Veteran Affairs and Pacific Islands Health Care System paid a courtesy visit to Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga earlier this week at the Governor Office. They discussed the initiative by the ASG Veterans Affairs Office of the first ever Veterans Challenge Games called the "TOA Games" for all local veterans, which kicked off on November 4th, 2024. The games took place throughout this week leading up to Veterans Day on November 11th. [courtesy photo]

ASG employees required to work on Monday will be compensated in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Besides ASG offices, many local businesses will also be closed and all federal offices will be closed, including the U.S Post Office.

The United States and American Samoa flags are expected to be seen island wide in honor of our veterans.

Earlier this week, the ASG Veterans Affairs Office in partnership with the Department of Veteran Affairs and Pacific Islands Health Care System discussed with Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga the initiative by the ASG Veterans Affairs Office of the first ever Veterans Challenge Games called the "TOA Games" for all local veterans, which kicked off on November 4th, 2024. The games are ongoing throughout this week with various games leading up to Veterans Day on Monday, November 11th.

In a Nov. 4, memorandum, Governor Lemanu P.S. Mauga announced the Veterans Challenge Games in conjunction with the annual Veterans Day Ceremony

•           TOA Games, Nov. 04 -11, at Veterans Memorial Center, start time: 8:30 AM

•           Wave to Honor Local Veterans, Nov. 08, across from Tafuna McDonald’s, 7 AM

In the memo the governor said to all ASG directors, agency and office heads, “Your presence at these events is highly encouraged as we celebrate our Veterans.”

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is honoring American Samoa’s Veterans for Veterans Day 2024, and released the following statement:

“I so appreciate our Veterans and all they mean to our islands and our country. We are deeply blessed in American Samoa to have many Veterans throughout our community. They have earned lasting respect and are a source of wisdom and strength to our people.

“In response to concerns expressed by our Veterans, and others, I’ve reached out to Hawaiian Airlines regarding the cost of travel, and I hope to hear helpful information and continue working on important quality of life issues for our veterans.

“I am humbled to serve our nation’s Veterans as Vice Chairman on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, where we have bipartisan unity of purpose in keeping our national commitment to our Veterans. They are owed good health care, available mental services for any such needs, and recognition. Thank you to our Veterans, and may God be with and bless each of you.”

Best wishes to our veterans on Veterans Day and let us also remember our Toa o Samoa serving all over the world.

In honor of all veterans, Samoa News will not publish on Monday, but will return on Tuesday. 

BACKGROUND

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars”, and was originally called Armistice Day.

On October 8, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first “Veterans Day Proclamation.” He wrote: “In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.

Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls, after a law signed by President Gerald Ford in 1975, which reversed a previous change that had moved the holiday to the fourth Monday of October. This change was made due to public pressure from veterans’ groups who wanted to maintain the historical significance of November 11th as the date of the World War I armistice. 

The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.