President George W. Bush marked his last Veterans Day as president at the rededication ceremony of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York, speaking to a crowd of thousands of veterans, family members and friends who gathered to honour and commemorate veterans on the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I.

The ceremony to rededicate the museum after its renovation was part of Veterans Day celebration across the nation. The president praised veterans in the crowd, including those who served aboard the Intrepid in its long history of military action. The president himself served in the National Guard during the Vietnam war era.

The ceremonies began with a U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team soaring down the Hudson and landing near Intrepid, which survived five kamikaze planes and key battles of World War II. The ceremony came after two years of extensive work, which included the complete rebuilding of Pier 86, the refurbishment of 16 historic aircraft on board, the redesigning and installation of the new museum.

“Today we send a clear message to all who have worn the uniform: Thank you for your courage, thank you for your sacrifice, and thank you for standing up when your nation needed you most,” Bush told the crowd gathered for the ceremony.

“I will miss being the commander in chief of such a fabulous group of men and women, those who wear the uniform of the United States military,” the presided added.

Bush noted that the ship has continued its service since becoming a museum in 1982. After World War II, the Intrepid was twice a recovery ship for NASA astronauts. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the ship was used as a command centre for emergency responders and rescue helicopters took off from its deck, he said.

Bush said he was inspired by his veteran father, Former President George H.W. Bush, a World War II pilot. He helped him appreciate the commitment to the country that the veterans have made. He plans to continue his mission to help and support today’s veterans and to make sure that they get all the health care and support they need from the federal government for their courage and strength in a time of danger.

Bush said he would miss certain things about presidency. “But I also know I'm looking forward to getting home, so I've got mixed emotions,” he said.

Other speakers at the Intrepid Museum ceremony included Christine Quinn, speaker of the New York City Council, New York State Governor David Paterson, and General James T. Conway, USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps.

In Chicago, President-elect Barack Obama marked the special day by placing a war memorial at Soldier Field. Obama made a special mention of soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In New York, Mayor Bloomberg praised the city’s 240,000 veterans and he made a special mention of those who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, Veterans Day, a day dedicated to the cause of world peace, is celebrated each year on November 11. The 11th of November 1918 marked the cessation of the most destructive war in human annals and was proclaimed Armistice Day.