Armistice Day was the name of the holiday we now call Veterans Day until 1954, reflecting the date of the armistice with Germany that ended hostilities in World War I in 1918. The Bismarck Tribune published an extra edition announcing the historic end of the war and how quickly the news spread across North Dakota, with the banner headline: “PEACE.”
By 1920, North Dakota had settled into peacetime, though the legacy of the war still lingered. Adjutant General G.A. Fraser reported 290 U.S. Army deserters in the state from 28 counties. Two men on the list were arrested, sent to Fort Snelling, Minnesota for court-martial, and sentenced to military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
The newspaper stressed that the men “have a price on their heads” and were being rounded up for military trial as quickly as possible. A few men were mistakenly listed as deserters, and the names were being shared with local American Legion Posts to prevent further misidentification.
The paper listed the number of deserters by county. Burleigh County had the most at 44, while other counties with significant numbers included Towner, Emmons, Barnes, Foster, Mercer, and Steele. Despite major cities, neither Cass nor Ward Counties had any deserters, and Grand Forks had just four. Several local papers ran the story statewide.
Amid the deserter news, happier headlines highlighted North Dakota National Guard gaining an airplane unit as part of a broader reorganization. The new unit would consist of one observation squadron with 31 officers, 132 men, 13 airplanes, and an air park with 3 officers and 172 men.
While Armistice Day was a legal holiday, Bismarck held no formal program, instead observing the day at Presbyterian Church on Sunday, November 14. The state war mother encouraged other war mothers to hold ceremonies across North Dakota between 10:30 and 11 a.m. on the 11th. Various dignitaries spoke in communities, including William Langer in Devils Lake.
Today, Veterans Day is a time for communities, the state, and the nation to honor our living veterans for their service and sacrifice. Take a moment to thank the veterans in your life and consider doing an act of service in your community.
Dakota Datebook by Daniel Sauerwein
Sources:
- The Bismarck tribune. (Bismarck, ND), Nov. 11 1920. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn85042243/1920-11-11/ed-1/.
- Grand Forks herald. (Grand Forks, ND), Nov. 11 1920. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn85042414/1920-11-11/ed-1/.
- The Ward County independent. (Minot, ND), Nov. 18 1920. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn88076421/1920-11-18/ed-1/.
- The Bismarck tribune. (Bismarck, ND), Nov. 10 1920. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn85042243/1920-11-10/ed-1/.
