V-E Day

[Red Oak]

It has slipped from us, very few Americans give it a thought, or even know what it commemorated.

[millergrovesue]

You are probably correct. I remember it being a big deal in my youth but not currently.

Being a veteran flying the flag on appropriate days used to be a big deal for Bob. Our current house has no good place to mount a flag so the practice has pretty much fallen by the wayside.

[grouchy]

I remember. Mom and dad also had lots of memories about the when Japan
surrendered. Dad was back from the European theatre. He was a waist gunner
on B-17s and had been dinged up pretty bad.

They were stationed in Salt Lake City waiting for him to go to the Pacific
theatre. That weekend they and a couple of other couples went camping
in the mountains. It was the first time mom ever drank alcohol and
dad said she got plastered. It was a happy time.

[John in Plano]

I also remember as do my parents. Dad turned 92 a couple weeks ago, he was ferrying planes around the US during the time of VE and VJ day, after doing his missions on a B17 out of England.

[grouchy]

Dad would have turned 93 this July. Mom is 91 and
in remarkable shape. Glad we still have her.
Was your Dad in the 8th?

[John in Plano]

Yes, 305th bg

[Red Oak]

All of my family that fought in that War are gone.

WWII and the resulting Cold War had a tremendous influence on my life.

[grouchy]

Same here. I guess my Dad was the last one from WWII. All the fellows from
both sides of the family served.

[Cowman52]

My dad passed a month ago, he was part of the seabee's mainly building airstrip's. He enlisted on Dec 8 and served through 45. His brother in law was in the marines and died on Guam. Found at the papers dealing with his final burial and all the naval department regs to get him home.
Was quite interesting reading from 1943.

[geeiabil]

I watched the C-SPAN coverage of the ceremony and warbird flyover down the mall in D.C. last night. Seeing those aircraft, all seventy plus years old was impressive. Connecting it with all the airmen and their sacrifices made it all the more poignant.

[ann jusko]

I watched it, too, Geeiabil. It was something that made me feel very proud of the USA but also sad when I thought about almost all the men fought in the war. If the women didn't serve in the military, they served in other ways. Everyone was FOR the USA then, so then I was back to being proud.