How the Stars Are Honoring Veterans Day

Veterans Day is today, and dozens of celebrities joined millions of Americans in celebrating the bravery and sacrifices of the military.

The holiday is celebrated every year on Nov. 11 to commemorate the armistice that ended World War I. As History.com notes, the holiday stared as “Armistice Day,” which was first celebrated on Nov. 11, 1919, a year after the war ended. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, himself a general during World War II, renamed the holiday Veterans Day.

In 1968, the holiday was moved to the fourth Monday in October thanks to the Uniform Holiday Bill. In 1975, President Gerald Ford moved it back to Nov. 11.

Unlike Memorial Day, which is a tribute to the fallen soldiers, Veterans Day pays tribute to the living and deceased veterans who have served. As of 2014, there are 21.8 million veterans of the U.S. armed forces, according to the Census Bureau.

Here’s how celebrities marked Veterans Day.

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Former MTV personality Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of Jersey Shore fame posted a simple “Pray, Thank, Remember Veterans Day” image on her Instagram page.

Property Brothers and Dancing With The Stars star Drew Scott remembered both the U.S. and Canadian veterans. In the U.K., Canada and other Commonwealth countries, Veterans Day is also known as Remembrance Day.

DWTS host Tom Bergeron also took part, posting a link to the USO, providing fans with a way to give back to veterans.

 

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Daddy’s Home 2 and Lone Survivor star Mark Wahlberg posted a colorized version of the famous Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima photo. Wahlberg has been a constant hand of support for the nation’s troops. In 2010, he visited U.S. Marines in Afghanistan to thank them for their service.

Iron Man himself Robert Downey Jr. marked Veterans Day with the band Funk Cake, thanking veterans for their service.

“Forever grateful for all who have served and sacrificed in the name of inalienable rights,” WWE wrestler turned actor John Cena wrote.

Football player J.J. Watt thanked the true heroes by taking to Twitter to share his thoughts.

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“I’m in awe of the courage, commitment, and talent of our veterans and military spouses, today and every day. Even though [Barack Obama] and I are no longer in the WH, we will always have your backs. [Veterans Day],” former First Lady Michelle Obama wrote.

“Proudly flying the flag today for the military men & women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom,” Mike Trout of the Houston Astros wrote.

Ben Stiller posted a video to raise awareness for the charity Homes For Our Troops, which helps build homes for men and women who have served in the military. 

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Reese Witherspoon paid tribute to her grandfather, father, uncle, aunt and mother who have all served in the U.S. military. “To all the men and women who proudly serve or have served, thank you,” she wrote. 

“Love and gratitude to our veterans on [Veterans Day]. Thank you for your service and sacrifice,” John Legend wrote.

Spider-Man: Homecoming star Zendaya hoped to raise awareness for veterans who need care at home after serving overseas. “This is real…thank you to all those brave and selfless men and women, I sure hope this country works on the way we treat and care for our heroes when they return home,” she wrote.

 

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Danny Trejo posted a photoshopped image of himself holding a bald eagle. 

Broadway star and actress Kristin Chenoweth posted a photo of herself with servicemembers. “A huge heartfelt THANK YOU to all who serve and have served,” she wrote. 

“Our veterans’ valor & devotion to duty have earned the country’s abiding concern for their welfare,” Sen. John McCain, himself a Vietnam Veteran and a former prisoner of war, wrote.