VE Day ... how will you commemorate it?

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Fri, 08 May 2015 08:31:12 -0400

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/70-years-ago-historic-ve-day-celebration-photos/ss-BBjn1wJ

70 years ago: Historic VE Day celebration photos

Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day, was marked 70 years ago. Germany officially surrendered to the allied forces on May 8, 1945, signaling the impending end of World War II —and celebrations broke out all over the world. Take a look at some photos from VE Day.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2015 9:37 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 May 2015 09:37:27 -0400

I will sit back and drink a couple beers (ok maybe a few) in remembrance of my uncle and all of those who served before me. We truly stand on the shoulders of giants and there will never be a greater generation of men and women (both civilian and military) to come out of our great country.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made May 8 at 2015 9:46 AM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Fri, 08 May 2015 09:46:14 -0400

Well, I would advise against walking up and kissing random girls. That may have worked in 1945....in 2015 that will get you arrested.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made May 8 at 2015 11:44 AM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Fri, 08 May 2015 11:44:00 -0400

I believe I will roll down to the VFW and raise a Bourbon "To our fallen comrades!"

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made May 8 at 2015 12:19 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Fri, 08 May 2015 12:19:39 -0400

I'm headed down to Coeur d'Alene to referee a soccer tournament today. I'll choke up tomorrow with the funeral procession for Sgt. Greg Moore, a CDA police officer whose life needlessly came to an end. The service will be at Lake City High School where we'll be on the pitch doing games as the procession passes. Such a contrast; vibrant life vs. needless death. I recommended the games be paused as Greg passes by.

I have a hard time grasping the magnitude of what the Greatest Generation did and what it cost. So I'm in the "Bittersweet" category on this one.

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made May 8 at 2015 1:03 PM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Fri, 08 May 2015 13:03:51 -0400

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/world-war-ii-veterans-gather-to-70th-ve-day-celebration-at-the-mall/2015/05/08/b1c722a2-f41e-11e4-bcc4-e8141e5eb0c9_story.html?hpid=z3

World War II veterans gather for 70th V-E Day celebration on the Mall

Events, including a flyover by vintage aircraft, commemorated the end of the conflict in Europe.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made May 8 at 2015 3:14 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Fri, 08 May 2015 15:14:53 -0400

Well, GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, I just found out that it is also Military Spouses' Day! I had planned on taking my wife to dinner anyway and toasting her as my favorite military spouse. Now, we'll have to charge our glasses again, and we'll toast my now deceased uncle, Sergeant George Brooks Curlee. He served with the 70th Infantry Division "Trailblazers" during World War II. The 70th spearheaded the Seventh United States Army's drive into Germany, south of Saarbrücken.

This photo of my uncle was taken on the Rhine River near the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen not long after its capture in March 1945.

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made May 8 at 2015 6:46 PM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Fri, 08 May 2015 18:46:36 -0400

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/world-war-ii-veterans-gather-to-70th-ve-day-celebration-at-the-mall/2015/05/08/b1c722a2-f41e-11e4-bcc4-e8141e5eb0c9_story.html?hpid=z2

World War II veterans gather for 70th V-E Day celebration on the Mall

Events, including a flyover by vintage aircraft, commemorated the end of the conflict in Europe.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2015 9:09 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 May 2015 21:09:18 -0400

I spent the day helping my wife with our catering business.

V-E Day Anniversary
Jonn Lilyea | May 8, 2015

Victory in Europe
It was 70 years ago today that the Nazi government of Germany capitulated to the Allies in Berlin, it was also US president Harry Truman’s 61st birthday. He became president on April 12th when President Franklin Roosevelt died just a few weeks before Adolph Hitler committed suicide on April 30th. The surrender document had been signed on May 7th in Reims, France, and again in Berlin on May 8th (largely for the benefit of the Soviets, but it was May 9th in Moscow when it was signed, so that’s their traditional V-E day) by the German government headed by Hitler’s sole surviving successor, Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz.

Fighting continued in the East for weeks after the surrender, though, as German soldiers tried to get to the American and British zones of occupation instead of surrendering to the Red Army. Small German guerrilla units called Werewolf formed to resist the end of the war existed through the 1940s, mostly made up of Hitler Youth adherents who had known nothing but Naziism. The last German troops to surrender in the West, though, were on the Channel Island of Minquiers which had been bypassed during the war. The troops there surrendered to French fishermen on May 23rd.

Category: Historical

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made May 9 at 2015 6:48 AM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Sat, 09 May 2015 06:48:41 -0400

VE Day 70th Anniversary "After Action" Report ...

http://themoderatevoice.com/204879/v-e-day-70th-anniversary-after-action-report/

V-E Day 70th Anniversary: ‘After-Action Report’

Update: Scroll to the bottom to watch the President honor the 70th anniversary of V-E Day in this week’s (weekly) address. ~.~ The sun has gone down at our nation’s capital. The flyover is now history. The speeches are over. The wreaths have been laid. The flags have been furled. Most of the 500 World…

Response by SPC Shawn Durnen made Aug 14 at 2019 12:36 AM

SPC Shawn Durnen — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 00:36:22 -0400

Relax with some army buddies and count my good graces