WASHINGTON — A special double celebration was held at the National World War II Memorial in D.C. on Sunday.
The ceremony saluted military moms in honor of Mother’s Day. But Sunday was also the anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, which marks the end of World War II in Europe in 1945 (the official end of World War II was Sept. 2, 1945, when Japan surrendered).
During Sunday’s ceremony, 10 local veterans laid wreaths at the memorial’s “Freedom Wall” in memory of the more than 400,000 Americans killed during the war and the 60 million who were killed during what is called the deadliest war in history.
Sunday’s ceremony also honored the late Ambassador F. Haydn Williams, who is considered the “father” of the National World War II Memorial. Williams died earlier this year.
Also, 51 World War II veterans from Washington State were part of an Honor Flight. WWII Veteran Fred Charles, one of the Washington State veterans, said it was his first time ever seeing the memorial.
During the war, Charles flew C-47s in the Pacific Theater. He said he did not think his generation, the Greatest Generation, did anything special. But history tells their story as being the ones who saved the world.
