Area veterans have a chance to see one of the region’s most important historic sites at no cost. The Shiloh Veterans Day bus tour will take veterans, active-duty service members and their spouses on a free guided trip across Shiloh National Military Park on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Shiloh is a short drive from Walnut, Middleton and the rest of our coverage area, making it an easy Veterans Day outing for Tippah, Benton and Hardeman County military families.
Shiloh Veterans Day bus tour details
When: Wednesday, Nov. 11 (Veterans Day), noon to 4 p.m.
Who: Veterans, active-duty service members and their spouses
Cost: Free
Length: About four hours, by guided bus
Registration: Required. Call Shiloh National Military Park at 731-689-5696.
Seating is limited, so anyone interested should call soon to save a spot. The park suggests bringing water and snacks and dressing for the weather, since November afternoons in the Tennessee Valley can swing from mild to chilly.
Why the park is honoring service members
Acting Superintendent Randy Martin said the park is offering the tours to recognize the long connection between the American military and the National Park Service. He said the park is honored to give the military community a chance to connect with the history its members defend, according to Hatchie Press.
The April 1862 Battle of Shiloh was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, and the fight for the rail junction at nearby Corinth followed weeks later. Both are preserved by the park today, with monuments, cannons and a national cemetery that holds the graves of thousands of soldiers.
Congress set aside the land as a national military park in 1894, making Shiloh one of the oldest battlefield parks in the country. Many of the monuments visitors see today were placed by veterans of the battle and by the states whose soldiers fought there, so a Veterans Day visit carries extra meaning.
About Veterans Day
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day, marking the end of fighting in World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. Congress renamed it Veterans Day in 1954 to honor Americans who served in every war. Unlike Memorial Day, which remembers those who died in service, Veterans Day honors everyone who has worn the uniform, living or gone.
More ways to plan a visit
For information on this tour and other upcoming programs at the Shiloh and Corinth battlefields, visit nps.gov/shil, the park’s Facebook page at facebook.com/shilohnmp, or @ShilohNPS on X.
Know a veteran who would enjoy the trip? Share the details and help them register before seats fill up.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
