Forged in Service: Honoring Our Veterans
November 8, 2026
Today, Sloss Furnaces joins our community and our nation in honoring the veterans of the United States Armed Forces. We offer our sincere gratitude to every person who has worn the uniform, during war and peace, and to the families whose support has helped sustain their service.
A Birmingham Legacy of Honor
Veterans Day carries special meaning in Birmingham. In 1947, Birmingham veteran Raymond Weeks organized a “National Veterans Day” celebration to honor all who had served. His vision helped inspire the national observance established in 1954. What began here as a community expression of gratitude became an enduring American tradition.
Birmingham’s Veterans Day Parade
The city’s annual Veterans Day parade is the living centerpiece of that legacy. Birmingham held its first celebration and parade on November 11, 1947, after World War II veteran Raymond Weeks advocated for a day recognizing veterans of every conflict, not only those who served in World War I. The observance preceded the federal establishment of Veterans Day by seven years and helped a local idea grow into a national tradition.
Recognized as the nation’s oldest Veterans Day parade and celebrated as one of its largest, Birmingham’s procession brings veterans, military organizations, marching bands, civic groups, families, and neighbors into the streets of downtown. More than a spectacle, it is a public promise to remember: each generation gathers to acknowledge service, preserve veterans’ stories, and renew the bonds between those who served and the community they defended.
That legacy resonates at Sloss Furnaces, a place built by generations of people whose labor, skill, ingenuity, and perseverance helped shape Birmingham. Our towering furnaces preserve more than industrial machinery; they help us remember the people behind our city’s history and the strength found in shared purpose.
Remembering Service and Sacrifice
Veterans Day is observed each November 11, a date rooted in the armistice that ended the fighting of World War I in 1918. Today, it is a day to thank and honor all veterans who served honorably, in every branch and in every era. Their experiences are varied, but each reflects a commitment larger than self.
We encourage our neighbors to mark this day with intention: attend Birmingham’s Veterans Day parade, thank a veteran, listen to a story of service, learn more about our city’s role in the history of the holiday, or support an organization serving veterans and their families. These acts of remembrance help ensure that service is met not only with words, but also with understanding and lasting respect.
With Gratitude from Sloss Furnaces
To the veterans of Birmingham, Alabama, and communities across the country: thank you for your courage, dedication, and service. Your contributions are part of our shared history, and it is our privilege to honor you today and throughout the year.
Winter issue in 1943 of the Pig Iron Rough Notes, a magazine published by the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Company.
This page lists the names of men who work at a Sloss facility who has or was currently serving in the military during WWII.
From all of us at Sloss Furnaces: Happy Veterans Day.
